AfriForum makes its voice heard in the Eastern Cape regarding excessive tariff increase

In the past few weeks, AfriForum participated in the public consultation sessions on Eskom’s proposed electricity tariff increase of 36,15% and first made its voice heard on the matter in the Eastern Cape. The civil rights organisation submitted its written comments on the tariff increase during the public consultation session in Port Elizabeth on 20 November. In its formal comments, AfriForum opposed this excessive rate increase.

AfriForum pointed to the serious economic and social consequences of Eskom’s proposed tariff increase and emphasised how the planned costs will disproportionately burden vulnerable communities, and especially low-income households, who already spend a large part of their income on electricity. Moreover, rising electricity costs are the driver of cost inflation, which increases the price of essentials and exacerbates poverty and inequality.

“Like elsewhere in the country, the residents of the Eastern Cape simply cannot afford the excessive rate increase being approved by Nersa. The situation at Eskom, which has deteriorated for years now due to mismanagement, cannot be rectified by this tariff increase,” says Louis van der Vyver, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Eastern Cape.

Eskom has submitted its proposed tariff increase for the next three years to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). The public had until yesterday (Wednesday) to comment on it.

AfriForum’s Manager of Local Government Affairs, Morné Mostert, expressed his concern about Eskom’s inefficiency and serious management failures during the public consultation session in Gauteng yesterday. “Nersa must not only enforce stricter compliance with regulatory frameworks but must also carry out due diligence at Eskom itself, which will ensure that only legitimate expenditures are included in the tariff calculations.”

AfriForum will carefully monitor the outcome of the public consultation process and act if unfair practices and malpractices are observed.