NERSA public hearings: Capetonians urge regulator to reject Eskom's electricity price hike
Eskom has applied to the National Energy Regulator for a 36 percent tariff increase next year.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa is hosting public hearings on Eskom. Picture: EWN/Ntuthuzelo Nene
CAPE TOWN - The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) kicks off public hearings into Eskom’s tariff increase application on Monday, and some Capetonians are calling on the regulator to reject the power utility’s application.
Eskom has applied to the National Energy Regulator for a 36% tariff increase next year.
This is on top of a 4% increase already granted by NERSA to recover losses of R8 billion in the 2021/22 financial year.
Capetonians are first up at NERSA's public hearings.
READ: DA to protest NERSA's electricity tariff hike ahead of public hearings on Eskom
Eskom customers are calling on the energy regulator to stand with the people and not let Eskom bleed them dry.
Vinayagan Gangan told Eyewitness News that if the increase is granted it would be tantamount to taking food off people’s tables.
"We’re struggling to make ends meet, we can’t put food on the table and now with this electricity increase, we’re going to suffer more. I mean we get such a meagre pension we can’t even survive with and now we’ve got this, how do we survive? You tell me how we should survive," Gangan said.
The public hearings will run for the next two weeks.
A decision on Eskom’s application is expected before Christmas.