Loadshedding impact on food spoilage: an analysis of household experiences in South Africa

Abstract

Africa has been challenged with loadshedding for the past decade. Most recently, loadshedding became a crisis as the year 2022 was reportedly the most in which electricity was load shed compared to the previous years. Guided by the South African Constitution of 1996, the right of South Africans to access electricity is embedded within the constitutional obligations of Eskom. The power utility is mandated to provide reliable electricity supply and ensure just administrative action when taking actions that deprive citizens of electricity access (Pieterse, 2023). In practice, however, it has become evident that rendering services such as electricity remains a major challenge. South Africans experience loadshedding daily, which affects their energy usage. In essence, loadshedding has impacted negatively, especially the disadvantaged. Despite planned loadshedding stages, households still experience direct impacts of loadshedding. Appliances such as refrigerators become mal-functional, resulting in food kept in cool temperatures being spoiled. Although loadshedding food spoils have been identified as a phenomenon at household level, the current response in terms of household planning and awareness has not been adequately documented. The paper aims to address this by arguing that there is a need for households to engage in targeted measures that help households cope and adapt to loadshedding food spoils. Furthermore, the study provides a TO-DO list on how households can improve their ability to adapt and cope with loadshedding. The paper used a qualitative methodology focused on analysing the lived experiences of News24 participants. Literature review was conducted where journal articles, newspapers and books were analysed. Thereafter, lessons are drawn from literature, to develop and provide a way forward towards dealing with loadshedding food spoilage at household level. The findings of the paper conclude that effective loadshedding and food spoil adaptation can limit food spoilage.