Municipal Hikes: Tshwane residents should get ready for higher electricity bill
The City of Tshwane has released its draft budget for the 2024/2025 financial year and residents can expect to dig deeper in their pockets based on these proposed tariff hikes.
Residents under the City of Tshwane might have to dig deeper into their pockets based on the proposed tariff hikes for the 2024/25 financial year.
In its draft budget for the 2023/2024 financial year, the municipality proposed a whopping 18% tariff increase on electricity and a 9.2% increase on water.
PROPOSED TARIFF HIKES IN THE CITY OF TSHWANE
Following a 12.8% Eskom electricity tariff increase earlier this April, Some metro municipalities are staring down above-inflation increases in municipal tariffs, proposed for implementation on 1 July 2024.
The City of Tshwane said the proposed 12% for electricity is in line with the guideline for the bulk purchase increase from Eskom. The hike was granted by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) in December 2023.
In the draft budget, the City of Tshwane has proposed the tariff hikes as follows:
- Electricity – 12%
- Water – 5.9%
- Sanitation – 5.9%
- Refuse collection – 5%
- Property rates – 5%
The metro municipality said all indigenous households are granted 100 kWh free of charge. However, all properties with a value of R150 000 or less will automatically qualify for free basic services.
PROPOSED INCREMENTS IN THE CITY OF JOHANNESBURG
The neighbouring City of Johannesburg’s proposed tariff increases are as follows:
- Rates: +4.8%
- Electricity: +11.3%
- Water: +7.7%
- Sewer: +7.7%
- Pikitup: +5.9%
- City Power Service & Capacity Charges: +16.74%.
- Sewer Charges: Flats are now classed as multi-dwellings. Multi-dwellings under R700 000 value charged R314.68 per unit. Over R700 000 is R612.58 per unit.
Regarding the proposed water increase, the City of Johannesburg said South Africa is considered a country where water scarcity is a real threat.
The metropolitan municipality said the approach to the structure of the proposed tariff is to emphasise the importance of water as a scarce resource and create a culture of controlled consumption.
Fortunately, the first six kl will be provided free for residential customers. However, on average, all the other residential postpaid and prepaid water bands will be increased by 7.7%.