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Price Hike Coming

South Africans are bracing themselves for yet another blow to their pockets as electricity prices are set to shoot up in April 2024.

More Money To Help Keep The Lights On

Loadshedding has become a way of life in South Africa and despite promises has remained high (more often in many cases).  With power plants constantly going on and off due to technical problems, poor maintenance and sabotage, consumers are being forced to live with rolling blackouts on a regular basis.

Government has been forced to throw money into the Eskom pit to try keep them operating and the lights on. Eskom needed those bailouts to try stay afloat after years of being bled dry from the inside by crooked officials and dodgy suppliers.

Another way to keep their heads above water was to look at how much they charge for electricity (especially as more people begin to generate their own power now).

A while back Eskom went to NERSA and asked for a rate increase so they could try cover costs and recover from a decade of Gupta related looting.

Who Are NERSA?

NERSA stands for the National Energy Regulator of South Africa. They are an organization that regulates and oversees the energy sector in South Africa. Their main role is to ensure that the prices for electricity, gas, and other forms of energy are fair and reasonable for both consumers and all the companies that provide these services.

NERSA are the ones that made the decisions regarding the past (2023) and coming (April) increase in electricity prices proposed by Eskom. NERSA heard their proposals and made sure they were actually justified and reasonable – with the goal of keeping Eskom in business while protecting consumers pockets from taking too much strain.

The Coming Price Hike in April

Last year South Africans faced an 18.65% increase and in just a few months there will be another big electricity price hike of 12.74% (effective April 2024).

“in just a few months there will be another big electricity price hike of 12.74%”

This will mean that everyone’s electricity costs have gone up by 30% over 2 years. That’s significant.

 

Many people are worried about how they will cover these rising costs. And when electricity goes up all the stores and shops and manufacturers also need to push their prices up a little to cover the extra cost. 

So, this means we can all look forward to a small jump in the cost of just about everything in April this year.

Quick Electricity Saving Tips

Use Less Electricity: So, this one seems obvious but it might be time to set the geyser on a timer, cook faster meals and give up baking cakes.

Energy Efficient Appliances: It might be wise when next buying an appliance to make sure it is ‘energy efficient’.

Keep Your Home Sealed: Ensure your home is well-insulated to maintain a comfortable temperature balance without excessive reliance on heating or cooling devices. Remember to close the curtains and close those windows on hot days.

Unplug When Not in Use: It is said that simple actions like unplugging chargers and devices when they are not in use can contribute to noticeable energy savings.