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Watts happening to work? The labour market effects of South Africa's electricity crisis

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  • Haroon Bhorat
  • Timothy Köhler

Abstract

Frequent electricity outages threaten to impede the benefits of expanded access achieved by many developing countries in recent decades. A large literature documents these negative effects, however almost none consider labour market effects. This paper merges labour force survey microdata with high-frequency electricity supply and demand data to provide the first estimates of the relationships between outages and labour market outcomes in South Africa, a country characterized by frequent, severe outages referred to as load shedding.

Suggested Citation

  • Haroon Bhorat & Timothy Köhler, 2024. "Watts happening to work? The labour market effects of South Africa's electricity crisis," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2024-20, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2024-20
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp2024-20-labour-market-effects-South-Africa-electricity-crisis.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Timothy Köhler & Haroon Bhorat & Robert Hill, 2023. "The effect of wage subsidies on job retention in a developing country: Evidence from South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2023-114, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Meles, Tensay Hadush, 2020. "Impact of power outages on households in developing countries: Evidence from Ethiopia," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
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    Keywords

    Electricity; Labour market; Developing countries; South Africa;
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