South African households are set to pay more for electricity from 1 July as municipalities implement their annual tariff increases.
The increases come after Eskom’s tariff hike for direct customers took effect on 1 April.
This means many households will now feel another round of pressure on monthly budgets, especially during winter when electricity use usually climbs.
According to the report, around two thirds of South Africans receive their electricity through municipalities. That makes the July increases a major issue for millions of homes across the country.
The hikes also come as families continue to deal with high living costs, fuel pressure and other monthly expenses.
Which Areas Will Pay More?
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa approved tariff increases for 176 licensed municipal and private electricity distributors.
This followed around 2 000 comments from members of the public and interested parties.
Cape Town residents are expected to see one of the lower increases, with electricity tariffs rising by 7.5%.
Johannesburg, Tshwane, eThekwini, Mangaung and Nelson Mandela Bay fall into the mid-range, with increases between 8.63% and 10.09%.
Ekurhuleni and Buffalo City residents will be hit harder.
Ekurhuleni’s increase is listed at 12.7%, while Buffalo City’s increase is 14%.
Households Under Pressure
The latest increases arrive at a difficult time for many South Africans.
Winter usually means higher electricity use, especially for heating, geysers and cooking. This can push household bills even higher.
Standard Bank LookSee Executive Head Marc du Plessis said households can start by understanding where their homes are using the most electricity.
He said checking a home’s energy efficiency can show where electricity is being wasted.
Geysers Remain a Major Cost
Geysers remain one of the biggest electricity users in many homes.
According to the report, geysers can make up around 30% to 40% of a household’s electricity bill. In winter, that figure can rise as high as 50%.
Du Plessis said solar geyser conversions and solar rentals are among the options households are considering to reduce long-term electricity costs.
For now, South Africans should expect higher bills from July, with the exact impact depending on where they live and how much electricity they use.
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