In June and July 2022, South Africans experienced some of the worst loadshedding since 2019, with some households losing power for up to six hours a day. Amongst other far-reaching consequences, extended power outages have had a profound impact on food wastage. 

Furthermore, the broader impact that loadshedding has on South Africa’s agricultural sector will continue to compound rising food prices, placing more pressure on consumers. As a matter of urgency, therefore, South African households and businesses need to consider alternative solutions to preserving food, given that loadshedding is predicted to persist into the country’s foreseeable future. 

Providing an informed opinion on this issue is Mustafa Soylu, CEO of Defy Appliances, who has become acutely aware of the role that a reliable power supply has on food preservation within households as well as on cold chain businesses and producers. 

Perishable foods, which usually consist of fresh ingredients like fruit, vegetables, and meat, are likely to go off during prolonged blackouts. Due to the health risk that perished food poses, as well as the potential for food poisoning, many South Africans are forced to resort to throwing perishable food away. 

Furthermore, as Soylu goes on to explain: “electricity is of equal importance in the post-harvest sector, as the long-term quality and safety of food products depends on accurate and consistent temperature management throughout the process. When the process is interrupted, the product quality level decreases and it can no longer be sold as premium grade, or it must be thrown away due to food safety concerns. This then results in food producers losing money.”

A recent statement by AgriSA, the largest body of agricultural organisations in the country, served to confirm this concern. According to AgriSA, loadshedding has made a significant impact on the farming sector by contributing to rising inflation, disrupting planting schedules, increasing the cost of production and adding a higher level of risk to farming operations. This in turn will serve to exacerbate the global hike in food prices, which has broader implications for food security in South Africa. 

Referencing the Tiger Brands Foundation’s finding that rolling blackouts are fueling not only an increase in food wastage but also a rise in the purchase of fast food, Soylu asserts that for millions of South Africans who believed that loadshedding was a temporary reality, the realisation that the national power supply will take a while to recover is “slowly sinking in.” 

And “rather than turning to foods that are rich in preservatives, South Africans need to find sustainable ways to mitigate excess food wastage while still enjoying the nutritional benefits of fresh food ingredients.” As he suggests, consumers can do this by becoming more conscious of their purchasing decisions of electrical appliances like fridges and freezers. “Viable solutions can be found in alternative sources of energy such as solar.”

Earlier this week, a draft of new measures was announced to address South Africa's energy crisis by adding more power to the national grid. As part of the plan, businesses and households in South Africa will be encouraged to invest in rooftop solar energy and sell the excess to Eskom. 

“Defy is in full support of the increased usage of solar energy as it allows consumers to conserve electricity at home and preserve food for longer periods of time when loadshedding occurs. Since the development of our Solar Hybrid range of products, we’ve seen the tangible improvements that solar energy can produce. 

Products such as these enable homeowners to power their homes with technology that is cost-effective, versatile and renewable. In addition, by using solar energy as a power source during daylight hours, South Africans can reduce their energy consumption and ultimately, their carbon footprint. On all fronts, making the transition to solar hybrid products will provide ways for consumers to keep household expenses as low as possible while also contributing to national and global sustainability objectives.” concludes Mustafa.