Rustenburg: In the villages and busy taxi ranks of Rustenburg, North West, blue LPG cylinders are becoming unlikely symbols of dignity and safety. At the centre of this quiet energy shift is Refilwe Sebothoma, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hakem Energies, a self-funded enterprise determined to tackle energy poverty while building opportunity from the ground up.

According to South African Government News Agency, Sebothoma is driven by a concern about what she calls ‘energy poverty’ in marginalized communities. Many people in townships and villages are without electricity, and those with access face high costs and frequent load shedding. In some areas, electricity can be unavailable for weeks, forcing residents to collect wood or use paraffin and coal, which can be dangerous, particularly for women.

Sebothoma’s resolve strengthened after a tragic incident in one of the villages where Hakem Energies sells gas. A woman was brutally raped and killed while collecting wood. This incident highlighted the risks people face due to energy poverty and spurred the creation of Hakem Energies. The company provides affordable LPG solutions, allowing low-income communities to refill cylinders with whatever amount they can afford, ensuring both safety and accessibility.

Hakem Energies, registered in 2022 and set to be operational from 2024, focuses on flexibility and strict compliance with industry regulations to ensure safety. The company serves a wide range of clients, including households, restaurants, resorts, funeral parlours, taxi ranks, and mining operations, offering both bulk and bottled LPG energy.

The enterprise also collaborates with local women and youth to distribute LPG, aiming to ignite possibilities with every flame lit. With its base in North West and a branch in Mpumalanga, Hakem Energies plans to expand into Limpopo and Gauteng by 2026. Despite the high costs of entry and competition from illegal operators, Sebothoma has managed to self-fund the business, aided by a grant from the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency’s (SEDFA) Asset Assist Programme.

National reforms could further boost growth for Hakem Energies. In his 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa committed over R2.5 billion in funding for SMMEs and pledged to ease regulatory hurdles, making credit more accessible and affordable. Sebothoma welcomed these commitments as the kind of support SMMEs need from the government.

For more information, call +27 (68) 037 5410 or visit www.hakemenergies.co.za. The NYDA can be reached at www.nyda.gov.za. For more information on SEDFA’s Asset Assist Programme, visit www.dsbd.gov.za/asset-assist-progamme.This article first appeared in Vukuzenzele.