Electricity prices to increase in April 2024: Here’s by how MUCH

Sadly, for cash-strapped South Africans, electricity prices go up in April 2024, and there’s precious nothing you can do about it. This is due to the government’s National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) approving a tiered Eskom price increase, reports Business Tech.

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You may recall a massive price hike last year of 18.65%. Now, electricity prices go up by a further 12.74%, starting on Monday 1 April 2024. Our friends at Business Tech have done us the favour of calculating what South Africans will most likely pay after the latest price hike.

ELECTRICITY PRICES GO UP

Of course, prices differ per province and municipality, depending on what sort of energy customer you are (rural vs. urban). A growing amount of South Africans are removing themselves from the Eskom grid altogether. Nevertheless, the average electricity tariff in South Africa will rise from roughly R1.84 per kWh to around R2.07 per kWh.

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According to Business Tech’s calculations, an average Eskom customer using 200 kWh per month in urban Gauteng would have seen their monthly power bill increase by 18.68% from R590 to R700. Now, factoring in the 12.74% increase, the same user can expect to spend R790 for 200 kWh per month from April 2024. R590 to R790 represents a R200 increase per month in just 48 months.

CAPE TOWN MORE EXPENSIVE

Interestingly, while the Western Cape is usually the cheapest for municipal services like ID renewal, vehicle licencing, etc … Capetonians will be paying above-average prices for electricity in 2024. Although many argue the COCT grid is the best run and most reliable in the country.

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Johannesburg’s City Power uses a block system, where Block 1 offers the cheapest power, but then climbs incrementally. And eThekwini has already pencilled in an increase of 10.11% for 2024/25 into its pricing structure.

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UNDER REVIEW

NERSA has had to face legal challenges over its approval of electricity tariff increases. Applications from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the South African Local Government Association (Salga) were brought to review the regulator’s decisions. However, Eskom has fallen short of several critical conditions placed on it by the regulator. Yet the price increases will still go ahead.

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Can you believe electricity prices go up in April 2024? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.

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