Elites Going Off-Grid? The Unequal Power of Infrastructure Choice in South African Cities

The Gauteng City Region Observatory (GCRO’s) NRF funded “Off-Grid Cities” project tackles a thought-provoking question: what happens when the wealthy disconnect from public utilities?  This project explores the social and environmental implications of this trend.

Here’s why this matters:

• • Widening Inequality: Elite “secession” from state-provided infrastructure can exacerbate existing inequalities in resource allocation.

• • Climate Change Impact: The project examines how off-grid solutions by the wealthy might affect overall climate goals and broader city-wide sustainability goals. We need to understand if these trends are truly sustainable in the long run. 

• • Social Justice & Climate Action: The Off-Grid Cities project brings a new perspective to climate change discussions in developing countries. It highlights how decisions by privileged groups can impact resource allocation across the entire city and underscores the need for a more inclusive approach to achieving both environmental and social justice in urban spaces.

Register HERE

The project delves deeper by:

• • Analysing how elite infrastructure choices are impacting the provision and consumption of essential services.

• • Examining the policies and programmes of government stakeholders responsible for infrastructure.

• • Contributing to climate change scholarship by introducing a social justice lens to understand resource allocation in unequal cities.

Want to learn more? Join us on Monday, 22 July, from 10:00 -12:00 SAST, for an engaging online knowledge exchange event and share your thoughts. Register here and check out the project website here.