Energy Security Survey

The Department of the Premier, Western Cape Government commissioned market research into household and business views across the Western Cape on the current energy crisis and attitudes regarding their energy behaviour. The Western Cape Government views energy security as a game changer. Implemented in conjunction with the City of Cape Town, the aim of this game changer is a 10% reduction in current Provincial demand from Eskom over the next three years. A key enabler of the Energy Security Game Changer is that households and businesses are “informed, educated and motivated to become power providers in a way that is optimal for them and for municipalities.” The research offered a detailed understanding of consumer behaviour, attitudes and awareness, as well as an understanding of energy usage and savings. This information informed the design of a communications campaign on energy security that was developed by Y&R.

The target audience for the research project included households and businesses located in the following four local municipalities in the Western Cape Province: City of Cape Town, Drakenstein, Stellenbosch and Saldanha Bay. Key variables taken into consideration when developing the sample included municipality; race; and LSM. A total of 1,319 household surveys were conducted and 250 businesses surveyed. In addition, 6 focus group discussions were facilitated post-survey for qualitative insights.