For most of Botswana, the electricity is pay as you go. If
you have electricity you have an electricity meter somewhere in the house
displaying the kilowatt hours you have left before you have to go buy more
power. It is an excellent way to conserve energy because you are always looking
at your real-time usage and watching it dwindle to zero. And once it is at
zero, you don’t have any electricity until you go buy some more, generally at
the grocery store. All you have to do is go to the store with some Pula and the
electric meter number. You have a simple transaction with the clerk and you
easily have more electricity. Sure, sometimes they throw a curve ball at you
when you go buy more electricity. It could range between the network being down
(there is no power to sell) or there is a rolling blackout so the computer
system is down. But I got thrown a knuckle ball that just proves how
complicated some things can be in Botswana.
So, when the meter at our temporary house (yes temporary
house for about 1 month…that is another
story) began blinking that our power was running low, I wrote down the number
and went to the store to buy some electricity. Sure enough, when I gave the
number and money to the clerk, it did not work and she said the network was
down. Ok, no problem, I told myself, the net work is down and I will come back
tomorrow. So I did and got hit with the same excuse. So I started to think I
copied the number for the electric meter down wrong. So I double and tripled
checked it and it was correct. So then Bridgette went again and got the same
excuse, no network. But the odd thing about it this time was the person
standing in front of her was able to buy electricity no problem, but this
person just happened to buy the remaining power the country had? We wait around
for a couple days and talk with a couple people and even give the meter number
and money to a local to see if they have better luck. Sure enough, they come
back with the same excuse; NO Network.
At this point, our permanent house is ready and needed
power. So I went to the store with a different electricity meter number to buy
power and had no problems. Well that is what is supposed to happen so my
confidence went up. I went into the store with the temporary house meter number
and got smacked in the face with a NO NETWORK response. I asked the lady why is
there never network when I want to buy electricity for this house and she just
responded with a response of no network with a cold blank stare (which are also
common in Botswana).
So I wised up and planned a little experiment. I was going
to buy some power for our new house and if I was successful, buy some power for
our temporary house right after. If it did not work, I would have to get a
better answer than no network. Off I went with both meter numbers. Yes, the
number for new house worked and the number for the temporary house, of course
did not work. But luckily, I got an answer for why it was not working.
The electricity meter number for our temporary house is not
registered and you cannot buy power for unregistered meters at this store. In
order to register it, you have to go to the power company’s office in Gabs (~12
hour drive or ~16 bus ride from Shakawe) and get it registered…not going to
happen. But this is where it gets good because there is a complicated secondary
plan. What you have to do is go to the store with the electricity meter number,
my money and my name, as usual. You have to tell the clerk that the meter is
not registered and they know exactly what to do…why they did not do this before
boggles my mind. They then take down you information and fax it to the power
company in Maun. They then take the money to the bank and the bank wires the
money to the power company. After about half-a-day or so, the power company
faxes back the credit for the electricity and you have electricity.
This is just one example of how complicated things can be in
Botswana. Luckily, we are Peace Corps Volunteers so we are always patient and
flexible…
