Solar electrification by the concession approach in rural Limpopo ...

Solar electrification by the concession approach in rural Limpopo province 21Table 6.4: Does the person buying the token earn a regular income?SHS-users Grid-usersYes 84% 80%No 16% 20%The sentiment among SHS-users was overwhelmingly that fees should be cheaper in order tofacilitate payment. This suggests that most felt that the service fees they were paying was higherthan they thought they should be paying. The frequency of payment was not seen as an importantfactor in terms of making payment easier.Table 6.5: Customer suggestions to make payment easierSHS-usersToken cheaper 95%Pay weekly 1%Pay every two months 2%Pay nothing 2%Question not asked in grid questionnaireOnly 8% of respondents stated that they expected to pay service fees for their SHSs as long as theyhad the SHSs. The overwhelming majority expected to pay until the grid was extended to them.Table 6.6: Expected duration of payment for SHSSHS-usersAs long as have SHS 8%Until grid 75%Until ownership of SHS 6%This year only 4%6 months only 4%Don’t know 1%Other/missing 2%This response suggests widespread expectancy that the grid is coming and that SHSs are only astopgap measure. This is likely to result in growing frustration with the passing of time, withunknown results. Eight percent believed that payment of fees was a short-term arrangement to lastsix months to a year. It is not clear why some respondents were so misinformed, perhaps they werenot present at the time of installation when explanations were given.Table 6.7: If the outlet has been closedGrid-usersNever 82%Sometimes 11%Not applicable/missing 7%For grid-users (SHS users were not asked), the outlet where they purchase tokens was reported tohave been always open when 82% of respondents went to purchase tokens. Only 11% of respondentshad sometimes found the outlet closed when they intended to purchase electricity tokens. The outlethas therefore not generally frustrated respondents when they needed tokens. This is important sincemost respondents had to travel a considerable distance to the token outlet as shown in Table 6.8below.ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE