Electricity is not just an essential component of every household and business, but also a commodity, which in many cases is taken for granted. As Taxpayers in South Africa we all look to the government to provide us with essential services and many times we take the availability of electricity for granted – I guess rightly so as we are paying for it – Right?



At the time of writing this article, I sit and think back of my childhood days when I grew up on a farm without electricity. I still remember the days when my mom cooked on the big black coal stove in the kitchen that also served as a heater during the cold winters. As kids we used to get dressed in the kitchen as we warmed up our clothes on the doors of the coal stove trying to fight the 0 and sometimes sub zero temperatures outside.

We also used an anthracite stove in the living room, which worked overtime in winter. Flipping a switch for lights did not exist. We used paraffin and gas lamps alternated with candles in the bedrooms. Television did not exist and we listened to stories on the radio after dinner as a family with quality conversations and lots of laughs before it was bedtime. Our fridge/freezer also used gas.

Having grown up in the Bushveld, a place of extremes, we did not only face minus 0 temperatures in winter, but had to deal with extreme heat in summer. I clearly remember the days when we, as kids took an afternoon nap on the cement floors in our house, as it was the only cool place (Bushveld summers easily reach temperatures of 40+ degrees in summer). No air conditioners, or fans even as we did not have electricity.

A couple of years later my dad upgraded to gas. I remember some winters where the gas froze in the pipes outside and we had to warm up the pipes so that my mom could cook breakfast on the gas stove.

It was only around 1980 that we first got electricity. All of a sudden we had the luxury of lights, deep freezer and Television.

I think the energy crises in Cape Town and other cities in South Africa came as a big shock to many people as they never experienced having to cope without electricity. Whether we are hot or cold, we just flip a switch and do not suffer any discomfort. One thing that remained from my childhood days is a saving awareness, which I think many modern children and even Adults lack, and this brings me to the following points in this article.

There are some basic things, which we all could do to save electricity:

1. Switch off lights when you leave the room.

2. Use energy saving light bulbs where possible (this will also cut your electricity bill)

3. Turn off the TV and Hi-fi when you are not using it. Leaving it on stand-by uses energy.

4. Rather use the microwave than your stove. Did you know that microwave cooking saves up to 15-20% energy?

5. When cooking on the stove ensure that vegetables are covered in water and cover saucepans with lids to reduce the cooking time.

6. Use a jug kettle with a water level indicator to boil only the amount of water that you need for that cup of coffee / tea. It is a waste of energy to boil a full kettle when you are going to use only part of it.

7. In South Africa we still enjoy fairly warm winters (compared to Europe and America). Hang clothes on the line outside to dry rather than drying everything in the tumble dryer.

8. Switch the Dishwasher off when it comes to the drying cycle and allow dishes to air dry.

9. Wait until you have a full load before using the Dishwasher and or washing machine.

10. Ensure that your fridge/freezer door seals work properly.

11. Cool food down before storing it in the fridge.

12. Defrost your freezer regularly – every time around 0.5 cm ice has been formed inside the freezer. Place your fridge in the coolest part of the kitchen if space allows– not right next to the stove or in direct sunlight.

13. Turn off your geyser when going away for week ends or extended periods of time.

14. Use hand tools rather than power tools in your workshop if and when you could. Nothing wrong with a bit of elbow grease at times especially when there is an energy crises.

15. Appliances – ask the sales person whether or not an appliance utilizes energy-saving. Avoid the use of appliances that use over 1000 Watt energy. It is also a good idea to keep all appliances clean and in good working order as it will ensure that no energy is wasted.

16. Depending on the area where you live and minimum/maximum temperatures, it might be a good idea to insulate your roof.

17. If you have both a shower and bath, rather take a shower as you do not only save water but save the geyser from having to heat up large amounts of water all the time.

These are a few simple points where each of us could make a contribution towards reducing the use of electricity in our daily environment.

In conclusion we should view the availability of electricity as a luxury and not a right. That way when we are all of a sudden left in the dark during power black-outs we could enjoy the silence and close family relationships with quality conversations that dinner at candle light or gas/paraffin lamps bring versus the rushed 2006 lifestyle with dinner in front of television with no conversation.