The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has emphasised that, although the registration process for small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems needs to be streamlined, it is a “critical” legal and safety requirement.

SAPVIA’s comments follow recent public discourse regarding the need for households and businesses to register SSEG systems with State-owned Eskom or local municipalities.

“SAPVIA acknowledges the concerns raised by civil society groups such as the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) regarding the administrative hurdles faced by solar users,” says SAPVIA CEO Dr Rethabile Melamu.

“We agree that communication from distributors should be constructive and avoid threats of disconnection. However, we must remain firm: registration is a legal obligation that ensures the safety of our homes, the protection of technical workers and the stability of the national grid.”

As previously reported in Engineering News on January 27, Outa described the recent threats by Eskom and certain municipalities to fine or disconnect the electricity supply of users for failing to register their SSEG systems as impractical, irrational and unfair.

SAPVIA says it believes that, for the solar transition to succeed, the relationship between distributors and citizens must be based on clearly articulated guidelines rather than punitive measures.

“Threats are unhelpful and do not increase long-term compliance,” Melamu adds.

“We call on distribution entities to be more mindful of the delays in their own systems. For registration to be a success, distributors must provide efficient, timeous feedback to applicants. At the same time, we cannot ignore the regulatory framework that governs our shared energy infrastructure.”

SAPVIA clarifies that the requirement to register grid-tied installations is grounded in the following pillars.

Firstly, it points out that Electricity Regulation Act (Schedule 2) states that, for embedded generators under 100 kW, the law mandates that the distributor keep a formal register of each facility.

Secondly, with regard to safety and grid integrity, SAPVIA notes that registration prevents "islanding" – a dangerous scenario where a private solar system feeds power back into a grid that maintenance workers believe is de-energised.

Thirdly, SAPVIA highlights technical standards whereby compliance ensures systems meet the RSA Distribution Code and South African National Standard 10142-1 standards, protecting homeowners from electrical fires and ensuring insurance validity.

SAPVIA says it has actively worked with stakeholders to remove barriers to compliance.

It notes that, as of October 2025, the process has been significantly simplified.

SAPVIA says this includes reduced red tape, with residential customers no longer requiring a professional engineer’s sign-off.

In this vein, it notes, a certification from a Department of Labour-registered electrician, a valid Certificate of Compliance, and an inverter test certificate are now sufficient.

Additionally, the association says that, to support law-abiding citizens, Eskom has waived registration and connection fees for systems up to 50 kVA until March 31.

“Our position is not one-dimensional.

“We will continue to advocate for a more user-friendly registration process and better communication from utilities. We urge all stakeholders to move away from an antagonistic stance and work together toward a safe, transparent and legally compliant energy future,” says Melamu.