A survey of energy related behaviour and perceptions in South Africa: the residential sector

The primary objective of this survey was to gather information about energy- related behaviour in South Africa. A similar survey was conducted in 2012 and the intention is that this study will become an annual study with a survey on energy related behaviour conducted every year. This survey intended to explore multiple energy use and energy poverty in South Africa and also explored satisfaction with electricity provisions as well as perceptions about the quality and pricing of electricity. The survey gathered views on electricity-saving strategies and policy preferences and compared results to the previous 2011 survey. Two thousand five hundred and eighteen South Africans participated in the survey, a sample representative of the country's population. Despite the stated problems as well as some delays with universal access, the Department of Energy as the provider of electricity is generally hailed as successful by South Africans. The South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS) has been monitoring satisfaction with key services in the country since 2003 and results show that South Africans are relatively satisfied with the provision of electricity. The provision of electricity is rated second highest, after the provision of social grants.