Abstract
The study is rooted in the ongoing energy crisis faced by South Africa, with a focus on urban liveability and economic productivity resulting from the energy challenges. This crisis presents an opportunity to address the long outstanding energy constraints linked to historical urban spatial inequalities, and prevailing climate change challenges, while ensuring the citizen’s right of access to clean, affordable, and sustainable energy (Sustainable Development Goal 7). As a result, an opportunity emerged to assess the urban resilience of the City of Johannesburg in this context. This study therefore substantiates the energy crisis (load shedding) based on urban liveability, economic productivity, and energy planning and management.
Based on a qualitative study approach and case-study method, as well as interviews with purposely selected respondents, the study assessed and appraised the impact of the energy crisis and the adaptive resilience capacity of the city dwellers and economy. Secondary data from archived documents and research reports was gathered to complement primary data from interviews. Data analyses were guided mainly by an integrative approach where perspectives from the different city’s energy stakeholders were synthesised to guide recommendations of innovative and adaptive systems that would allow South African cities to continue functioning during the energy crisis.
Following the analysis, the study found that the impact of the energy crisis is negative on both the City of Johannesburg's economy and dwellers or communities. This negative impact is disproportionately distributed along the socio-economic spatial divide of the city. The study also found that the adaptive capacity of city dwellers, communities, the government, the municipality, and businesses, as well as the ability to cope with the energy crisis, is very low. However, it notes the potential and capabilities of the city to build innovative and adaptive energy systems and serve as a case study and example to other South African cities. Lastly, the study produced nine recommendations, which are divided into three main categories. First, the supply-side interventions focus on energy generation initiatives. Second, the demand-side management concentrates on efficient energy consumption and reducing and/or managing the demand and consumption of energy. Third, the other interventions address incentives, legislative and regulatory interventions, and coordination of energy projects and initiatives implemented in Johannesburg.