$2 Rental Batteries Are Helping to Power South Africa

$2 Rental Batteries Are Helping to Power South Africa

Almost as soon as Anselmo Munghabe plopped the 23-pound battery onto a table in his tin shack barbershop, people began to flock in. He plugged two power strips into the battery. Soon it sprouted a bouquet of cellphones and wires. Customers had arrived not to cut their hair, but to charge their phones, paying Mr. Munghabe 5 rand (about 30 cents) for each plug. Mr. Munghabe’s community north of Johannesburg has been without electricity since last …