Electricity Minister Ramokgopa Promises 'Lasting' Solution' To Rising Power Bills

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa assured South Africans that his department - along with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and local municipalities - is working hard to find a "lasting and enduring" solution to the issue of increasing cost of electricity in the country.

Addressing the media on Monday morning, the minister said there has been "an exponential rise in the cost of electricity. Our electricity pricing plan needs to kick in and that's the primary preoccupation of the work of the ministry now working with Eskom; working with municipalities and working with SALGA."

Ramokgopa mentioned some local government actions that haven't been well received by communities such as a "surcharge" or network fee.

"We really don't want to engage publicly on the merits of whether the R200 [surcharge] is necessary or not. What we want to do is to find a more enduring and robust solution to this problem," Ramokgopa said, SA News reported.

He added, "There's an appreciation that it's important that we pull together. This situation is untenable. Communities are getting more and more enraged [and] people just can't afford the cost of electricity."

Ramokgopa stressed that the ministry, along with the Deputy Minister, is determined to address the issue even though local authorities manage it.

He added that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) plays a crucial role in this process as it is responsible for protecting consumers and reviewing proposed tariff increases from Eskom and municipalities.

The ministry plans to collaborate with Nersa rather than put pressure on them, as per the minister.

"We are going to insist on a Nersa framework that takes care of the interests of the poor and the marginalized so that we don't deny them access to electricity," he said.

He added, "Protect the interests also of the affluent because we can't get to a situation where the pricing structure is such that it becomes unaffordable over time but also protects industries that don't become competitive as a result of the pricing structure."

Ramokgopa stressed that the department will work with the municipalities, noting that the government understands what the common people are going through. He assured South Africans that the department intends to resolve this issue.

South Africa marked 120 days without load shedding recently. However, President Cyril Ramaphosa said it is too early to declare victory, warning that the electricity system remains vulnerable and that load shedding might still happen.