Presentation Parliament Portfolio Committee Date th 9 March

Presentation – Parliament Portfolio Committee Date: th 9 March 2005

Experiences of Communities Electricity Access & Affordability for basic needs

Nkosana Rakitla Sustainable Energy & Climate Change Project

Where do I come from? Daveyton a township, in Ekurhuleni Metro , East Rand Gauteng. l Informal Settlements – 7 sections l RDP house l Four roomed/match houses

My personal experience Access Lack of access to safe electricity lead people to l l l People use candles for lighting People use paraffin for cooking and lighting People use brazens (make shift stoves) for heat and cooking Coal stoves Winter – burn tyres for heating High dependence – on wood for cooking & heat

negative impacts Paraffin accidents – burning of informal settlements l Candle relate accidents – burnt children & burning of informal settlement l Coal & tyres in winter - excessive air pollution l Deforestation – targeting trees at side of road, golf course and parks l

Affordability

Affordability Most families on the ground are families of six – seven & upwards l On basic income grants l Pension l Minimum wage l Most are unemployed

Unaffordability of electricity Electricity take a large proportion of our income l Increasing debts l Electricity cut offs

Impacts of debt & cuts off l Unrest between councilors and communities l Illegal connections l Illegal reconnections l Increasing demand for paraffin, coal, wood and burning tyres

Experience doing outreach work with schools people don’t know where electricity comes from & cost of producing electricity Distribution Transmission Generation regulation Policy pollution

Most important l They don’t know about energy efficiency l They don’t feel part the of decision making process

Stepped Block Tariff for Residential Use l Note: a different fee structure would be developed for business, with special rates for SMMEs Block 4 500 – 1000 kilowatt hours 40 c per Kw/H The initial block of electricity is charged at a lower rate, become more expensive the more that is used. Block 3 201 – 500 kilowatt hours 35 c per k. W/H Block 2 51 – 200 kilowatt hours 20 c per k. W/h Block 1 1 – 50 k. W/h free

Benefits of Stepped Block l Encourage efficient use electricity l Conservation of electricity.

Free Basic Electricity addressing access and affordability l FEB should be provided on a person basis instead of per household.

Awareness & Education l Energy Efficiency l Energy conservation l Public participation