DA mayoral candidate Kingsol Chabalala has pushed back at Emfuleni Local Municipality over plans to impose an application fee and a monthly levy on residents who use solar power.

Chabalala says the municipality should thank residents for reducing pressure on the electricity grid, not punish them. The municipality has reportedly approved, in principle, a R2 400 application fee for homes with solar power and a monthly levy of R463 for generating their own electricity.

“When a municipality cannot keep the lights on, residents are forced to make a plan. That is exactly what many families in Emfuleni have done. After years of power cuts, broken infrastructure, poor service delivery and financial mismanagement, some households used their own savings to install solar systems.”
Chabalala says residents did not create Emfuleni’s electricity crisis.

“This proposed solar levy is not about fairness. It is about desperation. Emfuleni has lost control of its finances and now wants to reach into the pockets of people who are trying to be responsible. A family that installs solar is not stealing from the municipality. That family is investing in energy security, protecting food in the fridge, helping children study, keeping small businesses alive and reducing the load on an already weak system.”

Chabalala agrees that there must be a proper registration process.

“Systems connected to the grid must meet technical standards so that workers, neighbours and the network are protected. What is required is a fair, simple and transparent system. Residents should register solar systems for safety and planning purposes. The municipality must clearly explain the cost of any inspection or meter change.”

“Residents who invest in solar are not the problem. They are part of the solution. They are helping to build a more stable, cleaner and more reliable energy future. The government should make it easier for people to generate power safely and share extra electricity with the grid.”

Chabalala says Emfuleni must withdraw this unfair proposal, adding that the municipality must stop punishing responsible residents.

The FF Plus sees the levy and application fee as nothing but a desperate attempt by Emfuleni to generate revenue, seeing as it is failing to provide sustainable electricity to paying residents.

Residents will have the opportunity to have their say on the application fee and levy when the process is opened for public participation.