NEHAWU statement on the 18.65% electricity tariff increase by Eskom
12 January 2023
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] is angered by the 18.65% electricity tariff granted to Eskom by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa [NERSA].
The energy regulator today, Thursday 12th granted the power utility a tariff increment. This tariff increment granted to Eskom occurs against the background of a previous increment of 9.6% in 2022. This constitutes a 28.25% increment in two years on top of the loadshedding crisis that society has had to endure.
As NEHAWU, we are dismayed that NERSA would grant such an outrageous tariff application to the power utility amidst the socio-economic challenges that confront our country. The 18.65% tariff hike will further plunge our country into a deeper socio-economic crisis.
The decision by NERSA will have serious consequence to consumers who in the main are the working class and poor. As things stand already, the working-class is on the receiving-end of rising commodity prices with fuel prices and increase in food prices amongst others. This tariff increase will further subject workers and the broader working-class to conditions of abject poverty.
The government must immediately intervene in this crisis of Eskom especially with the loadshedding crisis and this tariff increment. The country cannot afford to be subjected to this electricity crisis that has destroyed livelihoods of our people.
The indefinite stage 6 signifies that we are now facing a state of emergency and therefore the state of electricity supply can no longer be left only to the line function departments and ESKOM management and board. NEHAWU calls on President Ramaphosa to show the decisiveness that he has recently been talking about.
ESKOM must rebuild internal maintenance capacity. The outsourcing or contracting out of maintenance has dismally failed the country – the contractors have interest in perpetual breakdowns.
Lastly, the national union calls on the government and management of Eskom to invest on new infrastructure and maintenance of the existing one in order to meet the growing power demands of the country, this will also address the load-shedding crisis instead of passing the buck to consumers through a ridiculous 18.65% electricity tariff.
As NEHAWU, we condemned the 18.65% electricity tariff granted to Eskom by NERSA.
Issued by Lwazi Nkolonzi, National Spokesperson, NEHAWU, 13 January 2023
