Ending energy poverty in South Africa: the key to a just energy transition
A true just energy transition in South Africa must measure success not only by connections, but by how equitably energy is shared and sustained.
Energy poverty is the entry point to a just energy transition because it exposes the everyday inequalities within households, including who has access to clean energy, who can afford to use it, and whose needs are overlooked in policy and practice. Yet measuring progress in alleviating energy poverty solely by grid connections gives a false sense of achievement. To achieve a truly just energy transition in South Africa, every household must be able to afford and use electricity in ways that meet their energy needs, support wellbeing and enable full participation in society.
The way energy poverty is defined determines how it is addressed and how justice is measured in South Africa’s energy transition. For too long, energy poverty has been understood narrowly as the absence of electricity: a technical problem to be solved through infrastructure expansion. This limited view has shaped policy targets, funding mechanisms and success indicators for decades.
The way energy poverty is defined determines how it is addressed
Although there is no single agreed-upon definition, energy poverty is commonly understood through three complementary approaches. The basic energy bundle approachfocuses on the energy required to meet essential household needs such as cooking, indoor heating, lighting and communication. The modern energy services approach frames energy poverty as a form of deprivation linked to a lack of access to clean, modern energy; a condition that undermines broader goals of poverty reduction, equity and sustainability. Finally, the resources and capabilities approach emphasises that the lack of access to energy constrains people’s capabilities, limiting their ability to pursue education, maintain good health, participate in society and live dignified lives.
Together, these perspectives reveal that energy poverty is not simply an infrastructure technical issue but a deeply social condition that shapes how people live, work and participate in society.
South Africa’s electrification rate now stands at more than 90% (compared to 34% in 1991), a figure celebrated as a major post-apartheid achievement. Yet this statistic hides more than it reveals. It highlights access but not affordability. Many households connected to the grid still rely on candles, wood or paraffin, not because they lack access, but because they cannot sustain regular use. Between 2008 and 2023, electricity costs in South Africa rose by about 720%, compared with inflation of roughly 215% over the same period.
When energy policy defines success only by the number of new connections, it risks missing the lived realities of deprivation that persist within the grid. Measuring access without measuring use leads to a dangerous illusion of progress. What ultimately counts is whether energy supply translates into comfort, safety and opportunity in people’s lives.
A more inclusive definition of energy poverty must therefore capture both the physical and socio-economic dimensions of energy access. It must consider whether households can afford sufficient energy, whether the supply is reliable, and whether people can use energy safely without fear of damage or injury. It must also recognise that energy use and access reflect broader inequalities in income, housing, urban planning and governance.
If South Africa’s energy transition is to be meaningful, curbing energy poverty must lie at its core. A just energy transition cannot be judged by the number of renewable energy projects added to the grid or the amount of investment secured, but by whether it reduces energy poverty through expanding access to clean and affordable energy for those who have long been excluded. Addressing energy poverty should not be treated as a by-product of the energy transition, assumed to follow once renewable projects expand. It is the pathway through which justice in the transition will be achieved.
First, this requires redefining what counts as energy poverty alleviation. Expanding grid access remains important, but it cannot be the sole measure of success. Policymakers need indicators that go beyond technical connections to include affordability and link meaningful use of energy with other sectors such as housing, spatial planning and energy efficiency. This integrated approach ensures that infrastructure investment translates into tangible improvements in household wellbeing.
Second, it requires rethinking how municipalities finance affordable energy access programs. Local governments’ ability to cross-subsidise electricity for low-income households is under growing strain as high-consumption users invest in alternative supply systems, particularly rooftop solar. While many industries still depend on the grid for base-load power, self-generation has nonetheless reduced daytime electricity purchases from municipalities. According to Stats SA, in the first six months of 2023, the eight metropolitan municipalities collectively recorded a decline of 0.8% in electricity sales compared with the same period in 2022. A new fiscal model is needed; one that safeguards pro-poor electricity affordability while maintaining municipal financial sustainability, enabling municipalities to remain key drivers of energy poverty alleviation and equity in the transition.
Third, it means integrating the realities of rapid urbanisation into energy planning. Informal settlements are often excluded from energy services because of tenure uncertainty and safety risks, yet they remain a central feature of South Africa’s cities. Rather than normalising informality, policymakers should prioritise safe, affordable interim solutions such as off-grid and hybrid solar systems to meet essential needs for lighting, cooking and communication while formal electrification and upgrading are pursued. These interventions can improve well-being, reduce fire hazards and enhance safety when supported by community participation and coordinated urban planning.
Finally, a just transition requires that efforts to expand affordable, safe energy must prioritise vulnerable groups such as women, youth and children. Women continue to bear the hidden costs of energy deprivation, while children and young people face constraints on learning, safety and wellbeing.
Women continue to bear the hidden costs of energy deprivation
South Africa’s energy transition will not be defined by how much energy it generates, but by how equitably it is shared and used. A country where energy poverty no longer determines who can cook, study or stay warm would embody the true spirit of justice and transformation.
Ending energy poverty is the ultimate test of whether the energy transition serves people. A transition that leaves the energy poor behind cannot be sustainable, no matter how green its supply becomes.
To achieve a just energy transition, South Africa must begin implementing energy poverty alleviation by redefining what it means, how it is measured and whose realities it reflects. Only then can the promise of energy for all become a lived reality rather than a policy aspiration.
Image: alexiafoutenay/Pixabay
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