This process report is a product of the work of the Academy of Sciences of South Africa (ASSAf) in collaboration with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the University of South Africa (Unisa), North-West University (NWU) and as well as the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). The roundtable and campaign are in response to the mounting evidence on the devastating and widespread health, social and economic consequences of household paraffin use. South Africa needs an energy solution that must be inclusive and address the needs of both the country's energy-poor communities and individuals.
The scale of the problem is significant and devastating for the families affected. It is necessary to weigh the impact of household paraffin use against the health and economic benefits of alternative energy. One of the interventions announced by the minister concerns the use of paraffin in the country.
The social and economic impact of paraffin use and the state of evidence of the impact of paraffin use. This is a primary concern of the non-profit organizations (NGOs) dealing with energy poverty. From the research conducted, it appears that the use of faulty, inferior and substandard devices is the root cause of the problem.
Response, Prof. Harold Annegarn: The intake problem is related to the distribution model of the fluid.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Response, Mr. Joe Baleka: One of the main issues regarding the hazard of paraffin is that it is not prepackaged and passes through many hands before reaching its final destination and can become contaminated during the process, which can lead to challenges that are yet to come still unknown. The Paraffin Safety Association suggested changing the color of paraffin, but this did not prove to be a deterrent. Prof. Ashley van Niekerk's response: As long as paraffin continues to circulate, practices and regulations surrounding its distribution and dispensing need to be strengthened, and more efforts are needed to change practices in how the fuel is made available.
Existing detailed changes to the energy system will need to be a priority, bearing in mind that the timeframes for change will not be immediate and that interim measures are needed to ensure better and safer use of fuels. This group has a lot of work to do in terms of the ministry's plans between now and the 2030 target. Its recommendations should address the issue of fuel distribution and user education, as well as the nature of the fuels that will ultimately be adopted.
Comment, Prof. Harold Annegarn: There is a mandatory specification standard from SABS for the safety and performance of paraffin heaters, but these are not widely enforced. Transferring the costs of paraffin combustion (one combustion costs R100,000) would provide sufficient funding to cover the costs of employing inspectors dedicated to inspecting paraffin stoves and outlets. As an interim measure towards achieving the 2030 targets, a rational, equity-based redistribution of the cost (as opposed to price) of fuel use should be considered to enforce current safety regulations and administration.
Dr. Ethel Andrews: Burns are one of the worst types of trauma a person can experience. Institutions and authorities must work together to ensure that more safety education is provided to the vulnerable users of paraffin so that they can be informed on how to deal with the challenges. Action must be taken against the manufacturers who continue to produce sub-standard paraffin devices.
Dr David Kimemia: DMRE is commended for the initiative to provide better energy to households. However, this must be supported by the timetables and necessary policy to ensure implementation. Professor Annegarn thanked the participants for their comments and questions and noted that the topics of those who did not respond will be part of the discussion in the next two webinars.
CLOSURE
Lessons for South Africa
Successful Campaigns for Energy Migration
25 FEBRUARY 2021
Institutional Arrangements, Evidence and Policy Pathways to Safe
4 MARCH 2021
The review of the existing evidence noted the strong social justice movement in South Africa and globally, which recognizes the challenges posed by impoverishment and energy depletion in particular, and called for greater equality and fairness in supply of energy resources to the population. the affected communities. One of the definitions of energy justice is that it concerns the efforts needed to ensure safe, healthy, sustainable and modern energy for everyone in South Africa, especially those in the lower economic spectrum. There is a constitutional commitment that access to modern energy is a key aspect of social justice, which is recognized in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
Continuous and disaggregated field measurements of the impact of energy use in relation to emissions and exposure. There was some discussion around the title of the campaign so that it is inclusive and indicates the aspiration of the campaign, and the recognition that there are several paths possible in this transition. The need to move away from paraffin has been highlighted as it is not suitable as a domestic fuel, even more so in light of the appearance of alternatives that have proven viable in other similar contexts.
Monitoring, costing and evaluation systems will be required to enable ongoing evaluation of the energy migration, change in household energy consumption patterns and safety, health and cost outcomes of the campaign. Funding of the campaign's proposed temporary and short- to medium-term measures can be accelerated through various mechanisms, including a specific earmarked allocation in the DMRE budget, redistribution of resources from contingency budgets to secure energy supply, or the use of 'sin taxes'. Campaign, municipalities should be central as they are able to integrate some of the measures and policy prescriptions into their statutes as a means of institutionalizing some of the interventions to ensure their sustainability beyond the campaign.
At the technical level, CoGTA undertakes to do everything possible, including mobilizing all its fire departments and disaster management centers, and engaging the ministry in support of the campaign. Answer, Dr Moses Khangale: As an agency that responds to issues, CoGTA came into this as an implementation partner and did not document in a formal study the results of what we found, but we created reports on this issue and we have a sense of what the issues are in informal settlements in five provinces. These roundtable discussions have been illuminating in terms of the intersection of societal complexities stemming from the burden of past inequalities.
Many touchy issues were raised about the awareness of the dangers of paraffin as well as the consequences of problems related to the use of paraffin. This series, brought together by the coming together of various actors, is a very important component that resonates with the Academy. One of the outputs of this series would be conference proceedings and a list of recommendations, which could possibly be handed over to various departments for action.
Notes
Kati 1 Blloku A, The Woods • 41 De Havilland Crescent Persequor Park • Meiring Naude Road • Lynnwood Persequor Park • Meiring Naude Road • Lynnwood Pretoria • Afrika e Jugut.
