Check and claim Free Basic Electricity
Free Basic Electricity (FBE) is a public basic-services benefit intended for qualifying households. In South Africa, the national programme generally provides 50 kWh per household per month for qualifying grid-connected households. Your municipality or electricity supplier decides whether your household and meter qualify, how you must register, the allocation available to you and when it can be claimed.
Umhlakasi does not decide who qualifies for FBE and does not fund the allocation. Umhlakasi gives you a convenient way to check and claim an allocation that the authorised electricity systems make available for your prepaid meter.
FBE is not an electricity advance
FBE is an allocation for a qualifying household under the applicable municipal or electricity-supplier programme.
An electricity advance is prepaid-electricity value provided by BluAdvance, subject to eligibility, a service fee and repayment under the BluAdvance terms.
Claiming FBE does not create an electricity-advance balance or repayment obligation.
Receiving an electricity advance does not mean that the household qualifies for FBE.
Check FBE through any Umhlakasi channel
Web Portal
Register or log in at https://portal.umhlakasi.co.za/, select Free Basic Electricity, choose or enter the prepaid meter and follow the instructions.
Open the PortalMoyaApp
Open the supplied MoyaApp URL, message +27 87 813 4433, send MENU, choose Electricity and then Free Basic Electricity. MoyaApp text messaging can work without an airtime or data balance on supported South African networks; the app and network coverage are required and downloads, media and external links may use data.
Open MoyaAppMessage 087 813 4433, send MENU, choose Electricity and then Free Basic Electricity. Mobile data or Wi-Fi is required.
Open WhatsAppUSSD
Dial *120*12209#, choose Electricity and then Free Basic Electricity. No smartphone or data bundle is required. Airtime and network charges apply.
Dial CodeHow to check or claim
Make sure the prepaid meter is registered for FBE with the relevant municipality or electricity supplier where registration is required.
Open your preferred Umhlakasi channel.
Select Free Basic Electricity and choose or enter the correct prepaid meter number.
Umhlakasi sends the request to the authorised provider systems and displays the response available for that meter.
If a token is returned, enter it on the intended meter and keep it safe.
A successful check is not a guarantee that an allocation is available. The response may show that the meter is not registered or eligible, that an allocation is unavailable or has already been claimed, or that the supplier could not complete the request.
Who decides whether I qualify?
Your municipality or electricity supplier administers the applicable FBE programme and its eligibility rules. Qualifying households may need to be registered as indigent or meet another local policy. Umhlakasi cannot approve an indigent application, change a municipal record or guarantee an allocation.
Contact your municipality about registration, qualification or a missing allocation. Where Eskom supplies the property directly, use the applicable Eskom or municipal process.
Free Basic Electricity questions, answered
Check your meter for Free Basic Electricity
Use any Umhlakasi channel to check an available FBE allocation for your prepaid meter.
