By: Natasha Archary
Eskom is reportedly pushing for a 32.7% tariff increase, despite its ongoing struggles to keep the power on.
The power utility which is coming after South Africans who are getting off Eskom’s grid with a R938 a month tariff is now pushing for another huge tariff hike.
This after Eskom requested rates for 2022 to increase by 20.5% earlier this year.
The embattled power utility was then granted a 9.61% increase by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).
City Power then increased municipal tariffs for Gauteng by 7.4% in July.
The latest energy tariff increase comes at a time when South Africa is experiencing its worst bout of loadshedding in 10-years.
Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter did not justify the reason for the proposed 32.7% increase but said he isn’t to blame for the country’s loadshedding issues.
Meanwhile, the DA has rejected Eskom’s proposal for the hike as immoral and an insult to South Africans.
The opposition party said it will be tabling arguments to NERSA, calling for the proposed tariff hike to be scrapped.
“The application for a 32.7% tariff hike is immoral and an insult to South Africans who have endured possibly the worst loadshedding schedule so far this year. The DA will submit objections to an Eskom rip-off once NERSA opens public comments on 1 August.”
The DA rejects Eskom’s push for a 32.7% increase in electricity tariffs
Also read: Public Protector to subpoena Ramaphosa over Phala Phala farmgate



