Thembisa Community Forum slams NERSA over R54b electricity tariff miscalculation

The Thembisa Community Forum (TCF) has expressed deep anger and disappointment following revelations that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) made a R54b miscalculation in electricity tariffs, an error that will now result in steeper-than-planned increases for already struggling households.

“This is not a technical oversight. It is a betrayal of the poor,” said Xolani Mnisi, TCF treasurer and head of its energy portfolio.
According to TCF, electricity costs have already increased eightfold since 2008.

Due to what NERSA described as a “data input mistake,” South Africans will now face an 8.76% increase next year (instead of 5.36%) and an 8.83% increase the following year (instead of 6.19%).

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In response, TCF is demanding a transparent audit of how the error occurred and why it went uncorrected for months and the dissolution of the current NERSA board by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy.

TCF is also seeking the appointment of a new board made up of pro-poor, community-rooted experts who prioritise affordability, transparency, and justice.

“This is not just about numbers, it’s about dignity. It is about families choosing between food and electricity. It is about a regulator that has lost touch with the people it is meant to serve.

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“We call on civil society, labour unions, and community organisations across the country to join us in demanding a people-centred energy future one that puts justice before profit and accountability before bureaucracy,” Mnisi said.

The Thembisan awaits comment from NERSA on this matter.