Gibson Muridzi, Shepherd Dhliwayo
Abstract
Load shedding in South Africa has affected small and medium businesses and the public in general since 2008. The purpose of this study is to provide implication of load shedding to small and medium businesses in South Africa. The study was motivated by the need to come up with solutions that addresses challenges of load shedding in South Africa. PRISMA framework was therefore used to perform the systematic literature review. A total of 153 corresponding articles were identified from Scopus Database and 48 papers were then retained for review.
The study found out that small and medium businesses need to invest in alternative renewable sources of energy to keep their operations running during load shedding periods. The study also found out that load shedding leads to job losses and in turn results in lower spending, and further negatively affecting the economic growth of the country. This study therefore contributes to some theoretical aspects by proving some insights on how renewable energy can be promoted. Practical contribution of the study is the development of framework that promotes the use of renewable energy for vibrant small and medium businesses that increase economic activities given the challenges of load shedding.