Electricity pylons with the Cape Town mountains in the distance. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) will be holding a public hearing on Eskom’s proposed tariff increase in Durban on Friday. Picture: Henk Kruger Independent Newspapers
Ratepayer associations in eThekwini said that they would be out in their numbers to object to Eskom’s proposed tariff hike at the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) public hearing on Friday. T
he Nersa public hearing was originally scheduled for November 21 and 22 but was called off due to a large turnout and the venue not being big enough to accommodate the number of people.
Nersa has since confirmed that the public hearings will take place on December 6 and 7 in Greyville, Durban.
While Eskom has applied for a 36% tariff hike in 2025, if Nersa allows Eskom to recover an additional R8 billion from its Regulatory Clearing Account, this will lead to an additional 4% tariff increase in 2025.
EThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association (ERRA) chairperson Ish Prahladh said that they would be submitting a formal objection to Eskom’s Multi-Year Price Determination 6 (MYPD6) revenue application for the fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. “The continued reliance on the outdated MYPD4 methodology for MYPD6 undercuts the accuracy and relevancy of Eskom’s revenue requirements in a rapidly changing energy landscape.”
Prahladh added that the proposed tariff increases reflect an unsustainable approach that disproportionately impacts ratepayers already struggling with high costs of living. “With soaring inflation, the financial strain placed on households and small businesses across eThekwini is both unmanageable and inequitable, further deepening socio-economic disparities."
Prahladh said that small businesses, already grappling with operational challenges, are at risk of closure, which in turn threatens jobs and economic stability. “We as the ERRA and its affiliates call upon Nersa to reject or significantly reduce the requested revenue increases, ensuring they reflect only necessary, prudent costs rather than inefficiencies.”
South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) said the communities it represents will be present at the hearings in December. “We want to remind Nersa of its responsibility to act in the best interest of the public. As the regulatory body responsible for overseeing Eskom’s pricing proposals, Nersa must ensure that these hearings are transparent, inclusive, and fair, with ample opportunity for public participation.”
Bluff Ratepayers and Residents Association chairperson Norman Gilbert said that the association strongly opposes Eskom's proposed tariff increase. “We believe this hike will have devastating effects on low-income households, pensioners, and small businesses. Our vice chair, Allison Schoeman, will present our case to Nersa. Our concerns are rooted in the fact that this increase will exacerbate financial strain on already struggling households. With the current economic climate, it's unreasonable to expect citizens to absorb such a significant price hike.”
Deputy chairperson of the Westville Ratepayers Association (WRA) and eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM), Rose Cortes, said their chairman, Asad Gaffar, was scheduled to present their objections to the Eskom increase at the originally scheduled date. “The ERPM and WRA will be there again and will oppose this increase in the strongest terms. Not only is the proposal by Eskom insulting, it also demonstrates how out of touch and removed from their consumers they are.”
Alice Govender of the Phoenix Civic and Ratepayers Association (PCRA) said that the association will be present at the hearing. “PCRA strongly condemns the proposed 40% tariff increase. With unemployment at its highest, poor annual salary increases, if at all, residents are unable to tolerate and manage these ridiculous increases.”
Terri MacLarty, chairperson of uMhlanga Ratepayers' and Residents' Association, said that they are definitely against the increase and will be attending the hearing. “The community cannot handle an increase of this magnitude while all living costs are escalating as they are.”