The April 2024 Eskom electricity price rise has embattled South Africans up in arms. While load-shedding appears to be decently contained for now – only reaching Stage 4 on occasion so far this year – Mzansi is not looking forward to a fresh tariff hike.
Specifically, the country’s elderly and indigent are the ones who will suffer most in the wake of an April 2024 Eskom electricity price rise. Research into how the elderly spend their South African Social Security Agency stipends each month reveals that ever-rising utilities are the biggest issue throttling their quality of life.
In most cases pensioners have to go without chronic medication or basic home maintenance/upkeep just to put food on the table. Many major metros offer indigent benefits in the form of reduced municipal fees and we encourage any homeowner who is struggling to pay utilities to explore these in your area.
APRIL 2024 ESKOM ELECTRICITY PRICE RISE
Nevertheless, not even indigent benefits will ease the blow of an April 2024 Eskom electricity price rise. And let’s not forget that 2023 saw the country’s worst-ever year of load-shedding. It was the year we were truly plunged into darkness, suffering 332 days of load-shedding. Now, we must cough up more for a service that is clearly substandard.
The April 2024 Eskom electricity price rise is part of a Multi-Year Price Determination (MYPD5) increase that was agreed upon back in 2022. Whether Mzansi likes it or not, we have live with two more electricity tariff hikes in 2024 and 2025. These were approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), in spite of a Democratic Alliance (DA) appeal to the High Court. The DA argued that Eskom failed to meet several key conditions set out by NERSA themselves and therefore has no right to up tariffs.
HIGH COURT RULING
According to Business Tech, the High Court ruled the following: “All relevant factors have properly been considered, the conclusions reached were neither arbitrary nor irrational, and the issue of cross-subsidisation was considered at the appropriate stage,” adjudged the court.
Therefore, NERSA’s 12.74% April 2024 tariff hike goes ahead in just over two-weeks’ time. Last year there was a similar uproar over an 18.65% increase in electricity prices as part of the MYPD5. In 2023, Eskom’s performance versus NERSA stipulations looks like so:
| Criteria | NERSA stipulation | ESKOM performance |
| Breakdowns | 20% | 33% |
| Energy availability (EAF) | 65% | 55% |
| OCGT load factor | 6% | 20% |
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HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY WILL COST IN APRIL 2024
Depending on where you live, what grid you’re on and what your historical usage is, your cost per unit can vary greatly. We recommend clicking HERE to get the best-possible estimation of the April 2024 Eskom electricity price rise applicable to you.
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Can you believe there’s an April 2024 Eskom electricity price rise? Can Mzansi’s elderly and poor survive such an increase? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.
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