Cape Town - Township residents feeling the pinch of the recent electricity price hikes are coming up with enterprising ways to stretch their units.
Now more people are looking to alternative means for cooking and heating. Some Silver Town residents, in Khayelitsha have resorted to cooking with paraffin stoves, gas and fires, which they said was not that much cheaper either.
Nosiphiwo Sikhutshwa, 39, a single mother who stays with her two children, has a fridge, TV and a four-plate stove. Sikhutshwa said she constantly had to borrow money to buy electricity, which she said hardly lasted a week.
“The R20 electricity I buy, which gives me 14 units, lasts us only for two days.
“I also use a paraffin stove, but it’s unsafe and bad for the newborn’s health,” she said.
Mphumzi Betela, 33 and unemployed, said he only used electricity for cooking.
“Affording electricity has become a struggle and because I work random jobs I’m not guaranteed money, so I only cook on Sundays and Wednesdays just to save electricity,” he said.
Betela uses a candle for lighting, which he said was the cause of many shack fires in the settlement.
“Last week there was a shack fire caused by a fallen candle. Winter is burn season in our area and with more candle use we are going to have more shack fires,” Betela said.
Nomthandazo Bango, 75, said she used to buy 43 units of power for R100, which lasted for three days, until she bought gas for cooking.
“Gas is the alternative but it does not come cheap either,” she said.
Ziyanda Sogoni said: “I have installed solar power. It’s expensive but worth it.
“It’s convenient and is good for the environment, too. Wood fire is not an option as it pollutes and contributes to shack fires,” she said.
Nosiphiwo Tshotsho, a breadwinner to four of her unemployed siblings, said electricity took up almost 20% of her weekly expenses.
“I can hardly make ends meet,” Tshotso said.
Prevalence Moyo, a fast food outlet owner, said the increased rates had a negative effect on the profits.
“I’m not coping at all, especially because I’m renting the premises,” he said.