ERMELO – The Msukaligwa Local Municipality (MLM) says the proposed 13% electricity tariff increase for the 2026/2027 financial year is largely driven by Eskom’s bulk electricity price adjustment, which directly affects the municipality’s operating costs.

MLM purchases electricity in bulk from Eskom and distributes it to consumers within its licensed supply area.

According to the municipality, increases in Eskom’s tariff structure have a direct impact on municipal electricity pricing.

The proposed increase, which would take effect on July 1 if approved, still requires final approval from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa).

The municipality’s response follows concerns raised by residents and businesses after Highvelder previously reported on the planned tariff increase amid ongoing electricity interruptions in parts of Ermelo.

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Infrastructure challenges acknowledged

MLM acknowledged that power interruptions remain a challenge for residents in Ermelo and the surrounding areas.

According to the municipality, many outages are linked to ageing infrastructure, network faults, adverse weather conditions and increased pressure on the electricity network.

Municipal officials said operational teams continue to prioritise fault response and infrastructure refurbishment while coordinating with Eskom where supply interfaces are involved.

Upgrades and maintenance planned

To improve network reliability, the municipality said it has implemented several measures aimed at strengthening the electricity system.

These include expanding preventative maintenance programmes on substations and feeders, accelerating the replacement of ageing components and incorporating network upgrades into the municipality’s capital infrastructure programme.

MLM said it is also working to improve response times to faults through better coordination between operational teams.

The municipality further confirmed that applications for network capacity upgrades have been submitted to Eskom and are at an advanced stage.

These upgrades form part of the municipality’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and capital infrastructure budget.

Additional electrification and reinforcement projects are supported through the Integrated National Electrification Programme funded by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

Compliance with installation standards

Concerns were also previously raised regarding the depth and protection of some underground electricity cables in parts of Ermelo.

A community representative with technical expertise on the current state of electricity services has highlighted potential issues with underground cable installations in parts of Ermelo.

He claims that some trenches may not meet prescribed South African National Standards for depth and protective sand bedding, which are designed to prevent overheating, mechanical damage, and premature cable failure.

MLM said all new electrical infrastructure must comply with relevant South African National Standards (SANS) and municipal technical specifications.

Where concerns are raised about installation practices, the municipality said inspections are conducted by technical teams and contractors may be required to verify compliance.

The municipality added that in some cases, older underground cables may appear shallow due to the age of the infrastructure, soil movement or erosion over time.

Should inspections identify non-compliance with required standards, the responsible contractor would be required to rectify the work.

Corrective measures could include reinstallation, reinforcement of protective bedding or other engineering interventions.

Security and safety measures

MLM said vandalism and cable theft continue to contribute to unsafe conditions within parts of the electricity network.

To address this, the municipality said it is progressively replacing rusted or damaged electrical kiosks with vandal-resistant concrete kiosks that can be remotely operated.

Safety inspections of substations, switching facilities and distribution infrastructure also form part of the municipality’s ongoing operational programme.

Questions raised over tariff calculation

While the municipality attributes the proposed tariff adjustment largely to Eskom’s bulk electricity price increases, Eskom’s approved tariff increase for municipal customers is 9.01% from July 1, 2026.

Highvelder has asked the municipality to clarify how the proposed 13% increase for local consumers was calculated and what additional cost components account for the difference between the Eskom bulk tariff adjustment and the proposed municipal tariff.

The municipality’s response will be published once received.

Communication with residents

The municipality said it aims to provide advance notice of planned maintenance or switching operations whenever possible.

Notifications are typically shared through municipal communication platforms, social media channels, community notices and local media.

However, officials noted that warnings are not always possible during emergency faults, although updates are provided once information becomes available.

Residents still have the opportunity to submit written comments or representations on the proposed tariff increase before March 30.