Earthlife Africa rejects Eskom’s proposed 8.8% tariff hike
Earthlife Africa and community organisations have submitted objections to Eskom’s proposed 8.8% electricity tariff increase, which would raise the average electricity price from 240.28 cents to 261.50 cents per unit.
Earthlife Africa and community organisations have submitted objections to Eskom’s proposed 8.8% electricity tariff increase, which would raise the average electricity price from 240.28 cents to 261.50 cents per unit.
Activists say the increase would place additional pressure on already struggling households and are calling for greater public participation in the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) tariff-setting process.
Activists from Earthlife Africa and several community organisations handed over a collective submission to Nersa rejecting the proposed tariff hike.
If approved, the increase will take effect in April.
Earthlife Africa's Ulrich Steenkamp said many households were already struggling with the cost of living and that higher electricity prices would worsen the situation.
While the public participation period closes on Friday, Steenkamp encouraged South Africans to become more involved in regulatory processes.
"South Africans, we need to start being vocal about Eskom trying to gouge us with more electricity prices getting higher and higher.
"Last year they made a profit, so why do we need to increase the prices if they already made the profit? They are a parastatal company and not a private company. They should also put people above profit for a change."
Tristan Meek from the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance agreed that public participation provides an opportunity for communities to highlight the impact of rising electricity costs on households.
However, he argued that some officials treat public consultation as a box-ticking exercise.
Meek also called for a transition away from fossil fuels.
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"We need to divest from fossil fuel industries. We need to divest from oil and gas. Currently, we have an agreement with the government that a just energy transition is needed.
"Where we differ is that they believe sustainable energy is gas and nuclear, whereas we are pushing solar, we're pushing wind, we're pushing biogas, which are all sources of natural energy."
Nersa is expected to make a final decision on Eskom's application on 26 November.
Meanwhile, Statistics South Africa said electricity generation fell by 7.1% in August compared with the same month last year.
Electricity consumption also declined by 1.1% year on year.
On a monthly, seasonally adjusted basis, electricity generation fell by 0.2%, while electricity consumption increased by 0.3%.
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