“Manage electrical tariffs carefully” – Alderman Izak Berg

Alberton consumers might just save hundreds of rands a month should they consider reviewing their electricity tariffs.

Alderman Izak Berg, the national chairperson of the Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa, cautions locals to assess their electrical tariffs.

He has received over 50 complaints on electrical tariffs, and on average Berg receives at least three to five complaints daily of consumers having to pay exorbitant amounts.

Berg stressed that should a prepaid electrical meter be installed in a household, consumers should make sure they are on the same tariff they were on before.

It had come to his attention that the company installing the meters registers people on tariff A when they used on tariff B before.

Under the tariff B system, a flat rate will be charged per unit regardless of usage amount. Tariff A is a method of billing suited to residential users that use a low amount of voltage per month.

Tariff A vs tariff B

Berg said the City of Ekurhuleni’s energy department has two tariffs, A and B.

“They established tariff A to assist the elderly and the poor. But then you must use 800 Kilowatt-hour (kWh) a month at least, if you use more than that, you start paying penalties. Your normal households and everybody that uses more than 800 units a month must be on tariff B,” he said.

Tariff B has a fixed rate, which he said you can buy at any time during the month and you will pay the same rat
However, when on tariff A, people must plan their electricity carefully.

“You must buy at the beginning of the new month and when you get towards month end, you must buy units that will see you through the month because units then get very expensive per unit.

“If you use 700 units of electricity or less, be on tariff A. If you are on tariff B, you’ve got that once-off fixed charge, when you buy on prepaid, the first time you buy for the month, they take that fixed tariff off,” said Berg.

Why the higher charge

He said he had people that bought R3 000 worth of electricity on tariff B and it lasted them for two or three months, the first time they buy after those months, they get charged three times that fixed charge.

“This will be because they hadn’t paid it for the months that they didn’t buy. The fixed charge is payable every month. If you skip a month that you don’t buy, the next month you’re going to pay twice the fixed charge,” he explained.

Berg reiterated that if one is on tariff B, they may purchase units at any time of the month and their tariff will stay the same.

“But if you are on tariff A, and you buy 800 units for the month and you want to see two days out, you must just top up for two days. Don’t buy next month’s units in that month because you are going to pay penalties. Some people I’ve helped have saved up to R700 to R800 a month because they were on the wrong tariff,” said Berg.

A form is available for consumers who wish to move from one tariff to another to be handed in at the City of Ekurhuleni’s electricity department in Swartkoppies.

To access this form, contact Alderman Izak Berg via email at idberg@telkomsa.net

Should customers not be sure on which tariff they are on, they may contact Shirley on 011 999 2324 or Mildred on 011 999 2525.

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