Type M Electrical Plugs: Primarily Used in Southern Africa

Main usage: South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho.

Features:

• Resembles type D but larger: Three round prongs in a triangle with larger size compared to the Indian type D.
• Grounded, 16 amp capacity.
• Pin details:
  • Central earth pin: 28.6 mm long, 8.7 mm diameter.
  • Line and neutral pins: 7.1 mm diameter, 18.6 mm long, 25.4 mm center-to-center spacing.
  • Grounding pin center to line/neutral center: 28.6 mm.
• South African version often has insulated sleeves for safety.

Compatibility and Usage:

• Limited compatibility:
  • Some sockets in India and Nepal accept both type M and D.
  • Used in Israel and UAE for specific high-powered appliances like air conditioners and washing machines.
  • Still used in UK theatre installations despite efforts to move towards standardized industrial plugs.
• Future replacement:South Africa transitioning to type N plugs and sockets, with new homes required to have at least one type N socket since 2018. Existing type M sockets are still allowed alongside type N for a period of time.