Exorbitant electricity hikes will add to the burden of country’s poorest citizens - SAHRC

CAPE TOWN - The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said that exorbitant electricity tariff hikes would add to the burden of the country's poorest citizens.
 
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) recently granted Eskom's application to retrospectively recover R8 billion for the 2021/2022 financial year.
 
The hefty increase has sparked widespread opposition, with increasing calls for the power utility to reconsider its proposed 36% hike for 2025.

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The commission's Chris Nissen said: "Why do you want to recover debts that you incurred from the poorest of the poor? Why do you want to recover from the poor that you as an institution has, in the first place, did bad management and had no consequence management in place to punish those who brought you where you are?"
 
Violent protests have recently erupted in the community of Lavender Hill, where residents are up in arms over unaffordable electricity costs.
 
"Electricity affects every aspect of our lives - school-going children, people going to work, people have to have water to wash, all of those things are going to really affect our communities. You see Lavender Hill? It will crop up everywhere. People, their wallet is so thin that they can't compromise anymore on anything. Our people are really at this point where they are very angry."
 
Nissen said this matter would be on the commission's agenda to help ensure that vulnerable communities don't suffer.