The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) announced that residents will hold a picket outside Eskom's offices in Westville to protest the increase in electricity tariffs, which they believe will exacerbate financial pressure on low-income households.
According to IOL, SDCEA projects officer Tristan Meek stated that residents from across South Durban will gather to express firm opposition to the electricity tariff increase proposed by Eskom to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).
Meek emphasized that this will be a peaceful, legal, and community-organized picket, not a strike or any disruption of order. He stated that this is a direct appeal from affected residents to NERSA: the proposed increase must be rejected.
Working Class Hardships
Meek noted that the proposed tariff increase comes at a time when households in Durban are already on the brink of financial exhaustion. He explained that NERSA has already approved an 8.76% increase by Eskom for the 2026/2027 financial year, effective April 1, 2026. According to Meek, the current application to NERSA threatens to place an additional burden on the communities least able to afford it.
He added that for a working household in South Durban, such an increase means additional costs of nearly 500 rand per month, assuming the previous electricity bill was 1000 rand. Combined with rising prices for food, transport, and water tariffs, these increases are pushing families to their limit. Meek stressed that electricity is a basic necessity, not a luxury, but the heaviest burden falls on the poor.
Energy Minister's Comments on Tariffs
Minister of Energy and Electricity Kgosiyenso Ramokgopa stated that the average Eskom tariff increase of 9.01% applies to municipal bulk buyers for the 2026/2027 financial year after NERSA determines the tariffs. Ramokgopa clarified that this increase relates to the cost of electricity supplied by Eskom to municipalities and does not necessarily result in an equivalent percentage increase on every household's bill.
SDCEA founder Desmond D'Sa stated that these increases significantly exceed the inflation rate and could push millions of households further into poverty. D'Sa noted that their communities are already struggling with high unemployment and the rising cost of living, and such a large-scale electricity price hike will make essential services even less accessible to low-income and marginalized households.
Demands for Rejection of Increase
SDCEA calls on NERSA to reject this approval, arguing that the regulator is obligated to protect consumers, not merely approve Eskom's revenue requests. The alliance puts forward several demands:
- Introduction of a subsidized tariff for needy households, guaranteeing a significant provision of free basic electricity to those who need it most.
- Complete rejection of the proposed increase, as it is unjustified and burdensome for already struggling consumers.
- Decisive transition to decentralized renewable energy to reduce dependence on expensive coal generation and ensure long-term relief for ordinary South Africans.
Community members, religious leaders, and civil society allies will gather at 9 am in Westville. SDCEA represents 21 public and environmental organizations.