Residents pin hopes on Free Basic Electricity as energy costs increase
Alexandra pensioners register for Free Basic Electricity, hoping that it will ease the strain as rising tariffs erode their pensions.
Alexandra residents are grappling with the rising electricity costs, and many are turning to City Power’s Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme for relief.
Over the weekend, City Power rolled out community activations at Tsutsumani and Alex Mall, following their recent activation at Itlhokomeleng Home for the Aged and Disabled. These drew scores of Alex residents desperate for relief from the financial strain of keeping the lights on.
The FBE programme provides 50kWh of free electricity monthly to qualifying low-income households, enough to cover basics like lighting, phone charging, or a small kettle. With City Power’s recent announcement of a 12.41% tariff hike for 2025/26, the programme is seen as a much-needed buffer by Alex pensioners struggling to make ends meet.
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Alex pensioner, Dudu Molatja, was among those at the Itlhokomeleng activation, and like most of the Alex residents on the edge of living in abject poverty, she expressed concerns about the cost of electricity. “Electricity is expensive, and we are pensioners. When I buy R200 worth of electricity, it still does not last long. I’m hoping FBE will make our units last longer, for at least a month.”
Molatja and other residents, including Caroline Seemela, who relies on a R2 000 pension grant, said they spend nearly 25% of it on electricity to stretch it through the month.
“That leaves me with [about] R1 500, and then I have to pay R300 for funeral cover, buy food, and toiletries. It’s not enough. So, registering for FBE gives me hope that it will ease the burden,” Molatja shared.
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Seemela described how the rising tariffs have forced her to buy electricity at least four times a month. “Before the increases, R100 would last for some time, depending on how we use electricity. But now, it can hardly last us a week. This free electricity [FBE] will help a lot.”
Both Molatja and Seemela see FBE as an important step to free up funds for other essentials. “If FBE can save us even a little, it will be better, and we will be happier. That is why we are here, running to register.”
As the July 31 deadline for registrations approaches, City Power encourages eligible households to register.
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