Durban - KwaZulu-Natal is the least electrified province in South Africa, with about 50% of its territory not connected to the grid, the province's co-operative governance MEC said on Friday.
“The backlogs on electricity services are still enormous and most households still do not have access to electricity,” Nomusa Dube told delegates at a provincial energy summit in Durban.
Dube said KwaZulu-Natal was one of the provinces lagging behind in the eradication of electricity backlogs.
“It remains the least electrified province in the country with an estimation of 47% of the province un-electrified - mainly rural areas.
“There are many rural areas that do not have access to electricity and still rely on alternative sources of energy such as firewood and LPG.”
Dube said the national co-operative governance department had indicated R8.9bn was needed to eradicate electricity backlogs in the country.
Energy department director general Nelisiwe Magubane said KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape still had many areas not electrified since the dawn of democracy.