Eskom tariff spikes killing municipal service delivery capabilities
4 August 2023
This week Wednesday, during a meeting of the Western Cape Ad Hoc Committee on the Energy Crisis, it became clear to what an extent Eskom’s tariff increases are affecting other areas of municipal service delivery.
Municipalities from across the West Coast updated the committee on their efforts to mitigate the effects of loadshedding, including the installation of generators to ensure wastewater treatment is not affected, as well as their effort to promote small-scale electricity generation and renewable energy projects.
The attending municipalities included West Coast District Municipality, Swartland Municipality, Matzikama Municipality, Cederberg Municipality, Bergrivier Municipality, Saldanha Bay Municipality.
One common and very concerning thread raised by municipal managers during the meeting was the discrepancy between the amount they are allowed to raise electricity prices by, and the amount Eskom is allowed to increase the tariffs they charge municipalities.