Living without Power and Fuel in South Africa.

Is South Africa turning back the clock? The modernized and highly effective growth of power and energy plants around the world, the fast pace at which first world countries dominate the growth is only a pipe dream for South Africa.

South Africa has an energy crisis, Eskom the power giant has failed dismally to keep the lights on. In the post-apartheid democracy, the African National Congress (ANC) government have managed to destroy a perfectly good working infrastructure. Greed, corruption and fraud are the main factors why the ANC fail its people.

Fuel in South Africa is not cheap, there are levies and other charges raised by the government to generate more funds for the thieving rulers. Public transport is almost zeroed out and having a private motor vehicle is necessary to survive in South Africa. Of course, there are the mini taxis that carry dozens of people to and from work each day. This comes with a high risk of contracting diseases and dying in a road accident. The kamikaze drivers disobey the rules of the road, drive like maniacs and most of their vehicles are not roadworthy. The overcrowding of passengers endangers others.

Without electricity to generate growth, and continuous load-shedding by the power giant, South Africans are finding alternative methods of having light and power. Lights on, lights off, today, or whenever Eskom has a problem supplying power. Generators dont work, not enough coal or the coal is wet, maintenance is behind schedule and of course the money, never enough to maintain the power grid. Yet there is money to pay high salaries, extravagant bonuses and not to mention the wasteful expenditure. 

With the high cost of fuel, the idea of electric motors is zeroed out. How can South Africans entertain the idea of electric motors under the present conditions? Should the situation not change drastically, the one motor vehicles on the roads would be the Blue light brigades and government cars.

Perhaps it is time to rethink the idea of self-sustaining motor vehicles that will alleviate the burden of not depending on the power giant and the continual rising price of petrol.  Can South Africans go back in history and establish a vehicle that will give them the edge over the ANC government. Here is an idea.

No electricity and fuel, perhaps South African will be driving wood-gas cars similar to the vehicles used during the Second World War.

Extract from LowTech Magazine

During the Second World War, almost every motorised vehicle in continental Europe was converted to use firewood. Wood gas cars (also known as producer gas cars) are a not-so-elegant but surprisingly efficient and ecological alternative to their petrol (gasoline) cousins, whilst their range is comparable to that of electric cars. Rising fuel prices and global warming have caused renewed interest in this almost-forgotten technology: worldwide, dozens of handymen drive around in their home-made woodmobiles.

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/01/wood-gas-cars.html