IT is important for residents to select the correct electricity tariff in order to save on their monthly accounts.
This is according to Themba Gadebe, metro spokesman, following a complaint from a resident who believed he was being ripped off buying pre-paid electricity.
“I always used to consistently get 92.8 units for R100. Now I get 38.4. I just bought another R50 to test: 9.8kw. It’s getting worse!” the resident said.
Also read:
• New municipal tariffs came into effect on July 1
“At this rate my monthly electricity will be R3 000 where it used to be R600.”
Gadebe said: “The City of Ekurhuleni has two tariff options available to residential customers. A household that uses, on average over a 12-month period, less than 700 units a month, should opt for Tariff A (IBT), which has the following characteristics:
1. The tariff is an “inclining block tariff” which means it gets progressively more expensive during a calendar month.
2. The first 100 units are free.
3. From July 2016, the next 500 units are costed at R1,03 cents, VAT excluded.
4. The next block, between 600 units and 700 units, is costed at R1,76.
5. Above 700 units, the price escalates to R4,93 a unit.
“The reason for this high rate above 700 units a month is to indicate to higher users of electricity that they should move to Tariff B. Tariff A (IBT) is highly subsidised and was created specifically for vulnerable customers,” Gadebe added.
Tariff B, on pre-payment metering, has no fixed cost and a single unit rate of R1,53, excluding VAT, as from July 1.
A tariff change is free and can be done at any energy depot but is allowed only once a year.
Explaining the resident’s complaint, he said:
“The 19 units received is correct, for Tariff A (IBT). The specific address has the following consumption pattern over the past few months: June 2016 – 718.8 kWh;
May 2016 – 480.5 kWh; April – 536.2 kWh.
“The summer and winter months are clearly in the Tariff A (IBT) range. In this case the customer is on the most beneficial tariff, which is Tariff A (IBT).”
