Enkanini is an informal settlement in the Stellenbosch township of Kayamandi, which is home to 2500 families. The closely packed tin and wood shacks hug the hillside overlooking the town, while overhead a network of extension cables provide power for some residents from the formal housing at the back of the settlement, for which they pay a premium to the homeowners.
But perhaps the most unlikely feature of Enkanini are the number of solar panels dotted around on the roofs of quite a number of the dwellings.
This is the result of an initiative called iShack started in 2010 by the University of Stellenbosch's Sustainability Unit to promote sustainability in the settlement. One of the success stories is the supply of off-grid solar power to the settlement.
"There's no formal grid electricity in Enkanini as it hasn't been designated as a formal settlement by government. It is one of the informal settlements that are a phenomenon of all African cities," said Andreas Keller, the project leader.
The project provides a paid-for solar energy service to residents, comprising a photovoltaic unit for the roof to capture the sunlight, a distribution box, a battery to store the electricity, two indoor LED lights, an outside security light and plug box for charging cell phones and operating radios and DVD players as the basic service.
Keller pointed out that iShack is not an NGO, but a rental service. Unlike a cellphone contract, the user never gets to own the system, largely because the value proposition offered by iShack is a maintenance agreement. For instance, battery life of the system averages about two years and rather than having to bear the costs of the replacing the battery themselves, the maintenance arrangement covers this.
The capital cost for each system is R8000, which is funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs' Green Fund through the Stellenbosch municipality, while the operating costs are borne by the user fees.
Users pay a R200 joining fee, and iShack offers three packages. The user can pay R150 for a package including a TV, R100 without and a pay-as-you-go option starting at R30.
The distribution box, which operates off a sim card, notifies the user when their monthly payment is due and allows iShack to monitor usage, including any tampering to the system. The payment system is simple and users pay their account at local shops which includes the cost of their TV licence if they've gone with that option.
Keller said that clients are not locked into a contract, and can upgrade or downgrade their agreement as their circumstances change. "We spend time explaining the contract when people sign up so they know exactly what they are getting into."
"Our research shows that iShack is not eating into household costs. The average income ranges from social grants to around R6000 per month. The service replaces what residents would pay on other sources of non-renewable energy sources such as paraffin and candles," Keller explained.
The key measure of the project's success is that people continue to pay and that people see the value in paying for the service.
"Service delivery is therefore very important, and we have a hotline where users can report faults with their system. These are seen to very quickly by our maintenance teams so that there is no downtime."
The project hub is in the heart of the community, from which two installation and maintenance teams - distinguishable by their sunshine-yellow shirts - operate.
"As many of our clients are from the Eastern Cape and return home during December, we offer them one month free if they pay for 11 months continuously. This frees up cash for their travel expenses. In addition we will remove the system while they are away to protect their property," he said.
iShack has experienced very little theft of their units during the time it has been operating. Part of this security lies in that new clients have to sign up with someone who lives no more than five shacks away. Neighbours are more likely to watch over each other's property, which cuts down on theft.
At present, around 700 households are benefiting from iShack, and the aim is to increase this number to 1500 this year. This means that almost two-thirds of Enkanini residents will come out of the darkness through solar power by the end of 2015.
