JOHANNESBURG - This was  demonstrated by the Democratic Alliance’s Jack Bloom at the Zamani informal settlement in Duduza yesterday.

The idea was derived from Brazil and has been implemented in the Philippines. “The light provided is equivalent to a 50 watt bulb. This is the future,” Bloom said.

What’s required is a clear two-litre bottle, a flat galvanised metal sheet, two cap fulls of bleach, and one and a half litres of water.

“Cut a hole in the galvanised sheet to fit the bottle. Insert the bottle through the hole and seal it with silicone or something similar.

Pour the bleach in and add water,” said Energy Systems Africa’s managing director Rodney Love.

Love said the bleach in the bottle was to prevent algae buildup.

The bottle should be placed through a hole in the shack’s roof.

“It will last for two years before you would need to refill the bottle,’ said Love.

Thirteen informal settlement homes were provided with electricity without having to pay for electricity or connect illegally.

This follows the launch of the pilot project “Light up your life” by the DA after two solar lighting systems were recently installed to two homes.

Bloom said the idea of the solar lighting came about after he spent a few days in a shack in the Zamani informal settlement last year.

“I stayed with Nthabiseng Msibi and was touched by her daughter studying for her matric exams by the light of a candle,” explained Bloom.

He said that candles were the main cause of shack fires in the informal settlements.

Each solar panel has the capacity to provide electricity to eight shacks.

Speaking to The Citizen, Msibi said her life has become easy since the installation of the solar lighting system.

“We can sleep without worrying about switching the lights off,’ she said. 

– aarifahn@citizen.co.za