A Study on the Use of Unclean Energy Fuel in Rural South Africa

About 3.2 million households in South Africa use different types of unclean fuels for cooking most of whom are living in informal dwelling/shack at the backyard and structures built on a separate stand or yard or on farm. The highest statistics using unclean fuels for cooking in rural and urban areas are found in Limpopo and Gauteng provinces respectively. With the focus on use of firewood as an unclean energy source for cooking, Limpopo province was chosen for this study. The study revealed that rural women and girls are mostly affected by the use of unclean cooking facilities including premature deaths, health hazards, domestic/shack fire accidents, literacy, etc. There is need to address these challenges through appropriate awareness on the demerits on unclean fuels and merits of clean fuels, affordable, subsidized and incentivized clean cooking facilities, etc. among others.