ActionSA caucus opposes 'anti-poor' electricity fees for Johannesburg residents

The Joburg Caucus of ActionSA has declared that it will support a motion to remove the contentious R230 fixed electricity surcharge that the ANC-led council imposed on locals. 

The party claimed that the surcharge, which was approved despite widespread community and civil society opposition, demonstrates a council that is disconnected from the realities of ordinary residents.

“These fees disproportionately affect poor and working-class households which are already battling rising food prices, unemployment, and service failures,” said Khomo Mashala, ActionSA Joburg Caucus EISD Whip. 

He added that the surcharge is unjust, anti-poor, and a blunt tool that penalises residents while leaving municipal inefficiencies unaddressed.

The announcement follows Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza’s suspension of a similar fixed electricity surcharge, a move ActionSA said should serve as a wake-up call for other municipalities. 

Gauteng Provincial Chairperson Funzi Ngobeni emphasised that balancing municipal budgets on the backs of vulnerable residents is unacceptable. 

“Leadership should act on principle, not only in reaction to protests,” he said, referring to the violent unrest in Tembisa, where residents clashed with police over soaring tariffs. 

“The Johannesburg surcharge of R230 per month has only intensified frustrations among working-class households already struggling to make ends meet.”

Political tensions around the surcharge have escalated, with the Democratic Alliance opposing the fees from the outset and urging the National Energy Regulator of South Africa to investigate potential flaws in the surcharge calculations. Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) expressed solidarity with protesting residents, condemning the fee as unreasonable amid widespread poverty and unemployment.

Ngobeni pointed out that municipalities like Tshwane, led by an ActionSA coalition, have avoided such punitive surcharges, demonstrating that people-centred alternatives exist. “Residents deserve to be heard, not punished,” he said. “Accountability and fairness must guide municipal decision-making, and councils must prioritise the welfare of their communities.”

Mashala reiterated that ActionSA has consistently opposed the surcharge since its introduction, noting that the party had lost critical positions in council for taking this stance. 

“Supporting this motion is not just the right thing to do, it is a vital step towards restoring dignity and financial relief to residents. We urge all councillors to put politics aside and back the motion,” he said.

He added that the city could generate the revenue intended from the surcharge through more equitable means, such as collecting outstanding debts from private companies and government departments.

“Johannesburg must follow the example of Tshwane and Ekurhuleni by exploring fair, practical alternatives rather than placing the burden on residents who are already struggling,” Mashala concluded.

The Star

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