Ward 74’s turnout for free electricity registration was satisfactory
Low-income households are cushioned from City Power’s new tariff increase
Ward 74 councillor, Belinda Echeozonjoku is impressed with the turnout of the ward’s registration for City Power’s free basic electricity on July 4 at the Waverly Sports Club.
The criteria were to be a South African citizen, reside within the City of Johannesburg, be unemployed or have monthly financial resources not exceeding R7 503. 01.
“Many elderly and unemployed could register and will get notification via sms. There were 46 applicants despite 57 attendees but were unfortunately some people who didn’t have all supporting documentation were turned away.”
Echeozonjoku added that the ward would have a second open day which would include SAPS.
City Power’s new electricity tariffs effective from July 1.
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In a media statement, City Power said it would cushion poor, low-income households from paying increased service and availability charges as new tariffs kick in.
“The City of Joburg entity will implement the new electricity tariff increases, as approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). The regulator approved an average increase of 12.41% across City Power’s customer categories for the 2025/2026 financial year,” explained the spokesperson, Isaac Mangena.
The approved tariff increases are informed by the NERSA methodology and findings from City Power’s cost of supply study.
Mangena that the power utility’s application was submitted after thorough consideration of operational costs, bulk purchase price increases, and the overall cost structure of our business, balanced against the socio-economic realities affecting our customers.
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“Tariffs are reviewed annually to ensure they remain reflective of service delivery costs while maintaining financial sustainability. This review complies with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), Electricity Regulation Act, and relevant NERSA guidelines,” he noted.
It is important to note that while the average approved increase is 12.41%, actual increases will vary per customer category based on usage and tariff structure
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