Steenkamp, Rochine MelandriMakora, Misheck2026-10-122026-10-122026https://hdl.handle.net/10566/25549South Africa’s electricity supply crisis has been characterised by recurring load-shedding since 2007, with severe socio-economic and governance consequences for municipalities responsible for basic services such as electricity reticulation as outlined in Schedule 4 Part B and section 156 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Although there have been extended periods in which load-shedding has been suspended in recent years, including a prolonged suspension since mid-May 2025 as reported by Eskom, the underlying legal and institutional constraints affecting municipal energy security, affordability, and reliability remain contested and consequential. While municipalities are responsible for distributing electricity within their jurisdictions, they are often constrained because of inconsistent electricity supply from Eskom. Efforts to procure from alternative renewable energy sources such as Independent Power Producers are hindered by the requirement to first obtain ministerial determination in terms of section 34 of the Electricity Regulation Act of 4 of 2006.enLocal GovernmentRenewable EnergySustainable DevelopmentEnergy LawElectricityThesis