South African households could see a significant increase in their monthly electricity bills starting in April, potentially adding up to an extra R480 per month, totalling R5 760 per year.
‘There’s no sugarcoating South Africa’s situation right now regarding power, whether at home or in the workplace,’ says Ghyoot. ‘We not only have an unreliable supply, but we are also facing a second front of attack in the form of ongoing price hikes.’ The price changes at municipal levels post-April are still pending announcement. However, if this family experiences a 12.74% increase, their monthly bill could rocket to over R4 300 or nearly R51 600 annually.
As per GlobalPetrolPrices.com, South African consumers currently fork out 250% more than their Nigerian counterparts for electricity, while Zimbabwe offers rates 97% lower than ours. Furthermore, only nine other African nations face steeper tariffs than ours. These figures don’t include the impending 2024 rate hikes.