Support free basic electricity
Fossil Free South Africa is supporting 350.org’s Free Basic Electricity campaign, which highlights that electricity is becoming increasingly unaffordable but should be a common good.
350.org is partnering with a a host of community and energy NGOs that will host meetings, canvass door-to-door, and organise other activities. The campaign aims to make Free Basic Electricity a key issue in the November 2026 local government elections.
South Africa already has an FBE policy, but only 2 million of the 10 million eligible households receive support, largely due to bureaucratic red tape.
Electricity is essential for everyday life, yet for millions of South Africans, it’s becoming unaffordable — forcing people to make impossible choices, like skipping meals,” said Ferro Pedron of 350.org. “That is neither right nor fair.
“We need an electricity system that works for everyone: one that provides relief for struggling households and ensures no one is left behind because they can’t access the Free Basic Electricity they qualify for.”
The campaign calls on the South African government to:
Increase Free Basic Electricity to a modest 350 kWh per month.
Make sure everyone who qualifies can access it.
Make electricity affordable for everyone, and
Invest in publicly funded renewable energy for a cleaner and more affordable energy future.
A campaign slogan is “Asininmali kodwa sinelange” - “We don’t have money, but we have the sun.”
You can sign the petition here.
