South Africa's Free Basic Electricity programme gives qualifying low-income households a monthly allocation of electricity, typically 50 kWh, at no cost. It has existed for over two decades, yet a large share of households that qualify never claim it, usually because nobody explained the two-step process: register once, then collect the token every month. This guide covers both steps.
What Free Basic Electricity is
Free Basic Electricity (FBE) is a national government policy, funded through the equitable share that National Treasury transfers to municipalities. The national norm is 50 kWh per household per month, which covers basic lighting, a small TV or radio, phone charging, ironing and a kettle. Some municipalities provide more than 50 kWh; a few structure it differently.
Two things FBE is not:
- It is not a discount on all your electricity. It is a fixed monthly allocation on top of whatever you buy.
- It is not automatic for everyone on prepaid. In most municipalities you must be registered as a qualifying household first.
Who qualifies
Qualification is set by each municipality's indigent policy, so the exact criteria differ by area, but the common pattern:
- Household income below the municipality's threshold. Many municipalities peg this to a multiple of state pension income, or a fixed monthly amount. Check your municipality's current figure.
- The property is your primary residence and is registered in the name of a household member, or you can prove residence.
- One benefit per household, tied to the property and meter, not to individuals.
For Eskom direct customers there is a consumption-based route: households on Eskom's Homelight tariffs that use a small amount per month (Eskom applies an average-consumption test) receive the 50 kWh allocation. Municipal customers go through their municipality's indigent register.
If you are unsure whether you qualify, apply anyway. The worst outcome is a no, and municipalities reassess registers regularly.
How to register
- Go to your municipal offices (customer care centre or the office handling indigent support) and ask to apply for indigent support or Free Basic Electricity specifically.
- Take with you: the account or meter details for your address, your ID, proof of residence, and proof of household income (payslips, a pension card, a UIF letter, or a sworn affidavit if there is no formal income).
- Complete the indigent register application. In many municipalities this single application also covers free basic water and sanitation, so ask what else it unlocks.
- Wait for confirmation. Processing times vary. Once approved, your meter number is flagged in the vending system as FBE-eligible.
Registration usually needs periodic renewal, commonly once a year, and municipalities remove households that stop qualifying or fail to renew. Put the renewal date somewhere you will see it.
How to collect your free units each month
This is the step that loses people. In most municipalities, the free units do not appear on your meter automatically. Each month you collect an FBE token, a normal 20-digit token carrying your free allocation, and enter it into your meter like any other token.
Where to collect depends on your municipality's setup:
- At any vending point where you normally buy electricity: ask for your FBE token with your meter number. If the meter is flagged, the token prints at no charge.
- Bundled with a purchase: in some systems, the free units are added automatically the first time you buy in a calendar month.
- Municipal offices or pay points, in areas without wide vending coverage.
Two rules apply almost everywhere. The allocation is monthly and does not roll over: units not collected in a month are forfeited. And the token only works on the registered meter, like any token; if you are unsure of your meter number, read it off the keypad.
So the winning routine is simple: collect the FBE token in the first week of every month, every month, then buy whatever additional electricity you need.
Why FBE and smart buying belong together
Fifty units does not run a household, so most FBE households still buy electricity monthly. That makes tariff awareness doubly valuable: qualifying households are typically on subsidised lifeline tariffs with the cheapest rates at low consumption, and the same block logic applies as everywhere else. Buying what you need early in the month, and not stockpiling, keeps every purchased unit in the cheapest band. The full explanation is in why you get fewer units for the same money.
If you help a parent or relative manage their electricity from another city, remember the FBE token still has to be collected locally in most municipalities, but the top-up buying can happen online from anywhere, with the token delivered to your phone and saved permanently.
FAQ
How many free units do you get?
The national norm is 50 kWh per household per month. Some municipalities provide more. Your municipality's indigent policy states the local figure.
Is Free Basic Electricity automatic on prepaid meters?
Usually not. Municipal customers must be on the municipality's indigent register, and in most areas the monthly FBE token must be collected and entered into the meter. Some Eskom direct customers receive it based on low average consumption.
Do unclaimed free units carry over to the next month?
No. The allocation is use-it-or-lose-it each month. Collect the token every month, ideally in the first week.
Can I get FBE at two houses?
No. The benefit is per household, tied to one registered property and meter.
I registered but my vending point says my meter is not flagged. What now?
Go back to the municipal office with your approval reference and meter number and ask them to confirm the meter is linked on the vending system. A mismatch between the registered meter number and the actual meter is the usual culprit; read the number directly off the keypad to be certain.
For the electricity you do buy: create a free SIMcloud account, check your meter, and keep every token saved. No monthly fees.