As of Thursday, 1 July new tariffs will come into effect for the Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) 2021/ 2022 financial year.
“While the municipality is aware of the current economic conditions in the country as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, price increases could not be avoided. For instance, Eskom has increased the cost of its bulk electricity purchases by 15,63%; an almost double increment compared to its previous 8,76% in March 2020. Guided by this increase, Mogale City has increased its electricity tariff by 14,59%. The municipality was also bound by the 5,8% tariff increase in the bulk purchases of water from Rand Water, which prompted this City to increase both its water and sanitation tariff by 5,8%,” MCLM communications representative Refilwe Mahlangu explained.
At a 14,59% increase, pre-paid single-phase domestic electricity consumers will pay R2,13/kWh (up from R1,86/kWh in 2020) for electricity consumption of between 1 and 700kWh per month, and R2,39/kWh (up from R2,09/kWh) for consumption higher than 1 100kWh per month.
Three-part domestic bulk consumers at low voltage will pay R1,26/kWh (up from R1,10/kWh in 2020) and three-part domestic bulk consumers at high voltage will pay R1,04/kWh per month (up from R0,91/kWh).
Water tariffs will increase by 5,8%, with residential water cost per kilolitre from 1 to 6kl usage increasing from (roughly) R17 in 2020 to R18 in 2021. The cost for 61kl usage and above will increase from R39 in 2020 to R41 in 2021.
“Take note that the 6kl of water that used to be free for all residents will only be free for indigents as of 1 July 2018.”
Additionally, sanitation costs will increase by 5,8% across the board, refuse removal by 3,9% and service deposits by 3,9%.
“The financial and economic difficulties faced by residents as communicated during the public participation processes were duly considered. As a way of assisting our ratepayers, property rates have not been increased for the fourth consecutive year to grant ratepayers some much-needed relief. Furthermore, the municipality has once more approved a 5% special Covid-19 rebate (discount) for all property-rate payers to be given automatically in the next financial year. As difficult as it may have been, the municipality tried to contain all other tariff increases to be as low as possible,” Mahlangu added.
A list of all the new tariffs is at https://www.mogalecity.gov.za/tariffs/.
