Free electricity boost on the table as government weighs major change for millions of households

Indigent households in South Africa could soon get up to 150 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of free electricity per month

Indigent households in South Africa could soon get up to 150 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of free electricity per month.

Currently, the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) allocation is 50 kWh per month, but Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa told Parliament that the department is reviewing the benefit to better support poor and vulnerable households.

Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane has said that although nearly 10 million households are eligible for FBE, only about 2 million actually receive it.

Ramokgopa also warned that the rising cost of electricity in South Africa is “unsustainable” and is pushing many families deeper into energy poverty.