Grappling for Solutions to Illegal Electricity Connections
By Gugu Nuba Mgwebi
The United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) global report on human settlements in 1986 pointed out that between 30 and 60 percent of residents of most large cities in developing countries live in informal settlements.
South Africa has a high rate of population growth that is impacting on the cities in the form of burgeoning squatter camps and informal settlements (Saff 1993:235). South Africa's total population was estimated at approximately 44 million in 1995, with estimates for annual population growth for urban Africans ranging from 2.4% to 3.5%. The majority of South Africa's poor are African, as are the majority of informal settlement dwellers.
In 1994, approximately 1.06 million households comprising 7.7 million people lived in informal settlements. Coupled to this, an estimated 720 000 serviced sites provided by provincial legislatures under the previous government required upgrading and 450 000 people lived in various, often inappropriate, forms of hostel accommodation (Republic of South Africa 1994:9, South African Institute of Race Relations 1994:328,367, Barry and Mason 1997).
Buffalo City Municipality is but one of the cities faced with a rapidly increasing growth of informal settlements. A concomitant of this is the emerging challenge of illegal electricity connections in the informal settlement areas of Duncan village, Nompumelelo and parts of Mdantsane. Illegal connections not only threaten and take lives, but constitute criminal actions that ordinarily attract legal prosecution if perpetrators are caught. A section of informal settlement dwellers in South Africa has become notorious for its lawlessness. The situation in these areas is increasingly becoming desperate; residents are aware that electricity theft is a criminal act and dangerous; however, they argue that they have no alternative.
Shack dwellers in Duncan Village state that promises to connect electricity in their wards have been made, but were never fulfilled. “Our ward councillor has been consulted on the matter, but has failed to deliver on his promise. Our grievances are heard only when it is close to elections,” says Foster Somgqezo a Duncan Village resident. The Duncan Village shack dwellers claim that they are more than willing to take the responsibility of purchasing electricity legally. However, the municipality has not shown commitment towards improving the current situation in the area. The removal of illegal electricity cables is not enough, as reconnections occur immediately after disconnections. The authorities need to look into alternative energy mechanisms and prioritise development within these areas.
George Moll, of TS Electrical solutions based in East London, is embarking on a proposed solution and is in the process of mobilising resources towards electrifying informal settlement structures. His model does not dependent on the existing structure as informal settlements are usually unstable. Furthermore, the solution is self-contained, tamper resistant and safe. It will provide an opportunity to assist consumers in establishing a physical address and access various transactions that require one, as well as assist the municipality in tracking electricity theft.
Currently most countries rely on coal, oil, and natural gas for energy. Fossil fuels, for example, are non-renewable, which means they draw on limited resources that will eventually decline, becoming too expensive and environmentally damaging to retrieve. On the contrary, renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar energy, are constantly replenished and will never run out.
Most renewable energy comes either directly or indirectly from the sun. Sunlight, or solar energy, can be used directly for heating and lighting homes and other buildings, for generating electricity, and for hot water heating and a variety of commercial and industrial uses. The sun's heat also drives the wind, whose energy is captured with wind turbines. The wind and the sun's heat cause water to evaporate, the water vapour then turns into rain or snow and flows downhill into rivers or streams; its energy can be captured using hydroelectric power. Another example would be the organic matter that makes up plants, known as biomass. Biomass can be used to produce electricity, transportation fuels, or chemicals. The use of biomass for any of these purposes is called bio energy. These are just some of the many alternatives that can be adopted as alternative sources of energy in rural and peri-urban informal settlements.
President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation Address made a commitment that the government will ensure that all households around the country are electrified by 2012. However, the Address by President Jacob Zuma to the special President's Coordinating Council on Human Settlements reported that “as of 31 March 2010, the total number of households still awaiting electricity, including informal settlements, is estimated at more than three million. More than 150 000 houses are electrified annually. The national backlog does not seem to decrease due to the increasing number of informal settlements and houses that are built annually.”
Promises made by government remain ineffective if implemented in areas where there is inactive citizen participation as well as poor ownership and understanding of governance processes. In order to achieve participatory democracy, all stakeholders need to commit fully to the realisation of their respective mandates. If delivery is to be in line with South Africa’s Constitution, citizens need to be aware that their involvement and role is essential in monitoring the activities of local council.
References
• Address by President Jacob Zuma to the special President's Coordinating Council on Human Settlements; Presidential Guest House, Pretoria, 31March 2010
• Republic of South Africa 1994:9, South African Institute of Race Relations 1994:328,367, Barry and Mason 1997
• Saff G 1996. Claiming a Space in a Changing South Africa: The "Squatters" of Marconi Beam, Cape Town. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 86(2), 235-255. Blackwell, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• UNCHS (Habitat) (1987a), Global Report on Human Settlements - 1986, Oxford University Press, for UNCHS (Habitat), New York
• The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za)
• www.renewableenergyworld.com
The United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) global report on human settlements in 1986 pointed out that between 30 and 60 percent of residents of most large cities in developing countries live in informal settlements.
South Africa has a high rate of population growth that is impacting on the cities in the form of burgeoning squatter camps and informal settlements (Saff 1993:235). South Africa's total population was estimated at approximately 44 million in 1995, with estimates for annual population growth for urban Africans ranging from 2.4% to 3.5%. The majority of South Africa's poor are African, as are the majority of informal settlement dwellers.
In 1994, approximately 1.06 million households comprising 7.7 million people lived in informal settlements. Coupled to this, an estimated 720 000 serviced sites provided by provincial legislatures under the previous government required upgrading and 450 000 people lived in various, often inappropriate, forms of hostel accommodation (Republic of South Africa 1994:9, South African Institute of Race Relations 1994:328,367, Barry and Mason 1997).
Buffalo City Municipality is but one of the cities faced with a rapidly increasing growth of informal settlements. A concomitant of this is the emerging challenge of illegal electricity connections in the informal settlement areas of Duncan village, Nompumelelo and parts of Mdantsane. Illegal connections not only threaten and take lives, but constitute criminal actions that ordinarily attract legal prosecution if perpetrators are caught. A section of informal settlement dwellers in South Africa has become notorious for its lawlessness. The situation in these areas is increasingly becoming desperate; residents are aware that electricity theft is a criminal act and dangerous; however, they argue that they have no alternative.
Shack dwellers in Duncan Village state that promises to connect electricity in their wards have been made, but were never fulfilled. “Our ward councillor has been consulted on the matter, but has failed to deliver on his promise. Our grievances are heard only when it is close to elections,” says Foster Somgqezo a Duncan Village resident. The Duncan Village shack dwellers claim that they are more than willing to take the responsibility of purchasing electricity legally. However, the municipality has not shown commitment towards improving the current situation in the area. The removal of illegal electricity cables is not enough, as reconnections occur immediately after disconnections. The authorities need to look into alternative energy mechanisms and prioritise development within these areas.
George Moll, of TS Electrical solutions based in East London, is embarking on a proposed solution and is in the process of mobilising resources towards electrifying informal settlement structures. His model does not dependent on the existing structure as informal settlements are usually unstable. Furthermore, the solution is self-contained, tamper resistant and safe. It will provide an opportunity to assist consumers in establishing a physical address and access various transactions that require one, as well as assist the municipality in tracking electricity theft.
Currently most countries rely on coal, oil, and natural gas for energy. Fossil fuels, for example, are non-renewable, which means they draw on limited resources that will eventually decline, becoming too expensive and environmentally damaging to retrieve. On the contrary, renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar energy, are constantly replenished and will never run out.
Most renewable energy comes either directly or indirectly from the sun. Sunlight, or solar energy, can be used directly for heating and lighting homes and other buildings, for generating electricity, and for hot water heating and a variety of commercial and industrial uses. The sun's heat also drives the wind, whose energy is captured with wind turbines. The wind and the sun's heat cause water to evaporate, the water vapour then turns into rain or snow and flows downhill into rivers or streams; its energy can be captured using hydroelectric power. Another example would be the organic matter that makes up plants, known as biomass. Biomass can be used to produce electricity, transportation fuels, or chemicals. The use of biomass for any of these purposes is called bio energy. These are just some of the many alternatives that can be adopted as alternative sources of energy in rural and peri-urban informal settlements.
President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation Address made a commitment that the government will ensure that all households around the country are electrified by 2012. However, the Address by President Jacob Zuma to the special President's Coordinating Council on Human Settlements reported that “as of 31 March 2010, the total number of households still awaiting electricity, including informal settlements, is estimated at more than three million. More than 150 000 houses are electrified annually. The national backlog does not seem to decrease due to the increasing number of informal settlements and houses that are built annually.”
Promises made by government remain ineffective if implemented in areas where there is inactive citizen participation as well as poor ownership and understanding of governance processes. In order to achieve participatory democracy, all stakeholders need to commit fully to the realisation of their respective mandates. If delivery is to be in line with South Africa’s Constitution, citizens need to be aware that their involvement and role is essential in monitoring the activities of local council.
References
• Address by President Jacob Zuma to the special President's Coordinating Council on Human Settlements; Presidential Guest House, Pretoria, 31March 2010
• Republic of South Africa 1994:9, South African Institute of Race Relations 1994:328,367, Barry and Mason 1997
• Saff G 1996. Claiming a Space in a Changing South Africa: The "Squatters" of Marconi Beam, Cape Town. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 86(2), 235-255. Blackwell, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• UNCHS (Habitat) (1987a), Global Report on Human Settlements - 1986, Oxford University Press, for UNCHS (Habitat), New York
• The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za)
• www.renewableenergyworld.com