HUNGRY FOR ELECTRICITY

The report examines the gap between South Africa's high electrification rates and the actual ability of poor households to afford enough electricity to improve their lives. It introduces the concept of 'universal enabling access' and the 'Minimum Threshold Level of Consumption' (MTLC), arguing that current policies—such as the 50kWh Free Basic Electricity (FBE) allowance—are insufficient to catalyze socioeconomic development. The authors propose a 'Food First Approach,' suggesting that all households below the upper-bound poverty line should receive 350kWh of free electricity monthly to prevent a trade-off between energy and nutrition.

• Physical connection to the electricity grid does not guarantee socioeconomic development; only 'universal enabling access'—defined as the ability of all users to access a Minimum Threshold Level of Consumption (MTLC) of reliable, quality electricity—can deliver meaningful benefits.
• The current Free Basic Electricity (FBE) policy, which provides 50kWh per month, is insufficient for development as it does not cover essential needs like cooking and is not accessed by a majority of intended beneficiaries.
• The authors estimate the MTLC for South African households to be approximately 350kWh per month to support basic needs and enable a sustainable escape from poverty.
• A 'vicious circle of poverty and energy poverty' exists where poor households cannot afford the energy required to lift themselves out of poverty, and the state's 'user-pays cost-recovery model' further entrenches this cycle.
• Energy poverty directly exacerbates food insecurity in South Africa, as millions of households are forced to divert limited funds from nutritious food to pay for electricity.
• The local government fiscal framework creates a conflict of interest by relying on electricity sales for up to 37% of operating expenditure, leading municipalities to prioritize revenue maximization over affordability.
• Lack of affordable electricity leads to dangerous coping mechanisms, including the use of paraffin and coal—which causes approximately 1,400 child deaths annually in South Africa—and widespread illegal connections.
• The proposed 'Food First Approach' recommends providing 350kWh of free electricity monthly to all households below the upper-bound poverty line (approximately 9 million households) to ensure energy access does not undermine nutrition.
• Implementing the proposed expanded free electricity policy would cost approximately R81 billion annually (an additional R67 billion), but the authors argue this is a strategic investment that would return funds to Eskom and municipalities while reducing illegal connection losses.

APA

LEDGER, T., & RAMPEDI, M. (n.d.). HUNGRY FOR ELECTRICITY. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Hungry-for-Electricity-Digi-19092022.pdf

Chicago

LEDGER, TRACY, and MAHLATSE RAMPEDI. HUNGRY FOR ELECTRICITY. Public Affairs Research Institute, n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Hungry-for-Electricity-Digi-19092022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=LEDGER |first1=TRACY |last2=RAMPEDI |first2=MAHLATSE |title=HUNGRY FOR ELECTRICITY |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Hungry-for-Electricity-Digi-19092022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ledgerndhungry, author = {LEDGER, TRACY and RAMPEDI, MAHLATSE}, title = {{HUNGRY FOR ELECTRICITY}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Hungry-for-Electricity-Digi-19092022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }