The City of Tshwane has nearly doubled the previous electricity tariff increase as it has proposed an 18% hike for the 2023/2024 financial year.
Residents associations said this would lead to them digging deeper into their pockets.
The National Energy Regulator of SA approved an increase of 18.49% for municipalities after granting power utility Eskom an increase of 18.65% in January.
For residents of Tshwane, the 18% hike is a huge jump compared to the 2022/2023 electricity increase of only 7.47%.
On Friday, the council noted the draft Individual Development Plan (IDP) for the 2023/2024 financial year still needs to go for public participation before it is approved by mid-June.
Other proposed increases include 9.2% for water and sanitation as well as 6% increase for refuse removal. The tariff increases come into effect on July 1.
Residents associations based in Tshwane said customers will not be able to afford them.
Heuweloord Residents Association chairperson Thobi Qinisile said the city’s incompetence in revenue collection and revenue leaks were forcing them to try find a way out by just increasing costs though residents are not happy with consultation and the provision of basic services
“Law-abiding citizens are trying hard not to fall into the trap of being forced to connect illegally because of unreasonable increases.
“Residents are already cornered having to resort to alternatives means when there’s no power. The recent repo rate hike is not helping either as residents are becoming worse off. And there’s another one looming.
“As a residents association, we have noted some of the issues and tried to engage the city. In Heuweloord ,we have an ageing infrastructure that’s not serviced. Storm water drains are not serviced, tree pruning is not done, approved speed humps in previous budgets have not been done. We have a failing power station that cannot cope with supplying electricity,” Qinisile said.
Linda Tyrrell, the chairperson of the Arcadia Residents and Ratepayers Association, said it has had major problems with electricity in the past week, adding that three quarters of residents had been left without electricity due to the collapse of pylons
“Unfortunately, I think the increases will impact financially on a lot of people because we’re faced with tough financial times. We’re trying to engage the new mayor now and MMCs. Hopefully there’s a stable city council but one isn’t sure how long it’s going to last.
“We’ve got other problems such as filling of potholes, street lights not working and cutting of verges,” Tyrrell said.
Tshwane’s finances obtained adverse findings from the auditor-general’s report in which it was flagged for R10bn of irregular expenditure in the previous financial year.
nkosin@sowetan.co.za
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