In the past, only privileged few used to have access to electricity in Southern Africa. Now almost everyone has access to electricity within two decades of ending of apartheid/colonisation. Having access to electricity is no longer a luxury for the privileged few. Electriticity infrastructure was built to provide electricity to privileged few. That's the biggest shift. By the way, I have access to electricity everyday and it isn't erratic.

Source -> I live in South Africa. Since 1982.