Phalatse: Residents to pay for years of negligence & corruption
JOHANNESBURG – The City of Johannesburg said the latest electricity tariff increase granted to Eskom means that residents of the city will be forced to pay for years of political negligence and corruption.
This is in response to energy regulator Nersa’s decision to approve Eskom’s application for an electricity tariff hike. The 18,65 % price hike will take effect from the 1st of April.
Mayor Mpho Phalatse said the increase was unfair to residents who have been subjected to rolling blackouts for several years.
“The tariff hike is unaffordable under the circumstances, and will increase City Power’s bulk purchases costs to about R200 million a month, which, unfortunately, we will be forced to pass through to the consumer, already reeling from high inflation, job losses, and recovering from the impact COVID-19,” said mayoral spokesperson Mabine Seabe.