(en) Southern Arica, African Anarchist Collective Newsletter Tokologo #2 - Pre-Paid Electricity Meters or Power to the People? By PITSO MOMPE

In 2000 the South African government announced its policy was to provide ?free basic 
services.? Th e free basic electricity policy was released in 2003 and claimed that it 
would ensure that a ?basic supply? of electricity is made available free of charge to poor 
households. ---- In practice, the amount provided in the ?basic supply? is very limited, 
and soon runs out. Th e policy further states that poor households generally have a lower 
demand for electricity, and so their needs can be adequately met by restricting the 
current drawn from their supply to about 20 Amperes. So, the free electricity also cannot 
support most appliances. ---- Further, the same policy states that indigent homes applying 
for free basic electricity have to be fi tted with pre-paid meters fi rst.

Th e irony is that people have to buy a voucher to activate
the free basic allowance. How can electricity be ?free? if you
have to buy it?
Th e imposition of a pre paid meter system continues
inequality in access to energy. Poor people are oft en unable
to aff ord the vouchers and as a result, their homes are left
unlit. In addition, the unit cost of electricity is higher for
those using a pre paid meter in working class areas. When
the free power runs out, households buy more power. Th e
higher rates then pay back the state and ESKOM for the
?free? power.
Free electricity is better than no electricity, and the state
would not have even considered it without the mass protests
around electricity from the late 1990s.
But there are serious problems in the policy. However
this will not be addressed by the ruling class as it does not
increase profi t and control.
And let us remember that ESKOM is nationalized: it is
stat-owned. Evidently nationalisation does not benefi t
the working class, as certain politicians say. It is not an
alternative to privatisation. Th ese are both anti-working
class, and obstacles to genuine freedom. We must fi ght for
collectivisation, including placing ESKOM under democratic
working cla