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JOHANNESBURG. — Kevin Mileham of the Democratic Alliance highlighted that South African taxpayers are effectively paying twice for Eskom’s financial woes.

South Africans are shivering through cold weather, relying heavily on electricity for heaters. Yet, amid this chill, the news of Eskom’s impending tariff hike — set to rise by up to 40 percent in 2025 — has sparked outrage.

Just as people across Mzansi seek relief from the biting cold, they are now faced with the prospect of paying significantly more for electricity.

A day after the Democratic Alliance (DA) led a national protest on September 18, different political parties gathered in Parliament last Thursday, to debate Eskom’s announced tariff increase.

In August, Eskom proposed the hike, which includes a 36.15 percent increase, with an additional 4 percent approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), pushing the total hike to over 40 percent.

ActionSA Member of Parliament, Malebo Kobe condemned the increase during the urgent parliamentary debate.

“These combined increases will further devastate already struggling households, making basic electricity an unaffordable luxury for millions.”

Kobe called for immediate reforms to improve Eskom’s operational efficiency and decentralise the energy market to reduce the monopoly on electricity supply.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also voiced their opposition. EFF MP Nazier Paulsen highlighted the particularly high electricity tariffs in Cape Town, noting: “The additional service charges in Cape Town are a financial burden, disproportionately affecting poor families who must choose between basic needs like food and electricity.”

Paulsen accused the City of Cape Town of implementing unlawful hikes beyond what NERSA approved, claiming the City was profiting from the energy crisis at the expense of its residents.

Additionally, the African National Congress (ANC) joined the opposition, rejecting Eskom’s request for a tariff increase. The ANC emphasised that the proposed hike was unacceptable, calling for the matter to be thoroughly debated in Parliament.

This move follows after the DA’s strong opposition to the hike announcement made by Eskom, leading them to implement several measures against it.

A petition against this matter has been issued by the DA, and it already has over 100 000 signatures, and earlier last week, DA supporters protested in the streets in all nine province.

MP Kevin Mileham, representing the DA, presented a statement in Parliament, opposing Eskom’s proposed tariff increase.

Mileham emphasised that electricity prices in South Africa have surged by more than 945 percent in the past 17 years, significantly outpacing inflation. — IOL.