[imagesource:thisisafrica]

Residents of the City of Cape Town have been fuming after the city introduced its latest 17,6% electricity hike on July 1.

The City however insists that the increase is still below the proposed 18,5% increase, as they try to shield consumers from the burden of being at the mercy of Eskom and Nersa.

The City implemented its new budget for the 2023/24 financial year with a capital expenditure budget of a record R69,9 billion but the budget comes with steep increases in municipal rates and tariffs.

In May, residents had the opportunity to comment on the City’s “building hope” budget. Following a public commentary process the majority of concerns raised were about the electricity tariffs, load shedding, electricity provision for informal settlements, increase in property rates, and traffic calming measures to be put in place in Mitchells Plain, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha and Kraaifontein.

This latest increase is the push into the poverty-abyss many households have been dreading as their personal finances buckle under a seemingly endless increase in everything from food to petrol.

Tafelsig resident and founder of the Electricity Tariffs Must Fall Campaign, Natasha Gertse, said the City’s home evaluations were done in order to remove most residents from the lifeline tariff onto the higher domestic tariff.

“Which leaves residents on an increase of 100% without any notices or warnings,” she said, adding that “this meant people who had paid R50 for 27 units now paid R50 for just 14 units.”

Many pensioners who were on an indigent grant have now seen their properties kicked to a higher tariff, meaning they have to re-apply for the grant.

Cape Town resident, Quarnita Walsh-Dantu, said: “The electricity cost is killing me… before I could actually budget, now I can’t because it’s just too expensive… I have a household of six people (my parents and kids) and I am the breadwinner, but my bread ain’t winning… with these increases, I’m just not making ends meet.”

“I am the breadwinner, but my bread ain’t winning.” This must be one of the best ways to describe life in South Africa at the moment.

The City maintains it has protected all households from Eskom’s 18,5% tariff hike as much as possible, reducing the increase to 17,6%, while still funding a reliable electricity service and a plan to end load shedding.

“With the City’s special protection, lifeline tariff customers using 350 to 600 units will now pay only R1.84 in this usage band, compared toR3.15 per unit in 2022/23. This will help to protect households using more electricity this winter, while an average usage of 450 units over a 12-month period still applies to remain in this tariff category.”

It’s true that the City of Cape Town has been doing more than most cities to mitigate the damage caused by a plethora of issues the average South African has to bear the brunt of. But when is enough finally enough? How much more can we take?

Even a rubber band that is stretched far enough breaks, and we have no more stretch left.

[source:news24]