Olitemba
Thembisa – The Office of the Executive Mayor has acknowledged the recent protest action in Thembisa related to the introduction of a fixed electricity tariff charge for the 2025/2026 financial year.
The recently reviewed tariff structure, which introduced a fixed tariff charge prescribed by NERSA, was implemented as part of the standard regulatory processes, aimed at ensuring adequate investment in infrastructure maintenance, long-term sustainability of electricity supply, and equitable distribution of operational costs across all communities. This resulted in the addition of a fixed tariff charge within Category A for lower consumption users, specifically A2 for single-phase non-indigent households.
The #CoE says that it consistently seeks to ensure that economically vulnerable households remain protected through the administration’s pro-poor policy approach and the city’s indigent support programme, which remains in effect and has recently been enhanced to better serve qualifying residents.
The Executive Mayor is, however, mindful of the events surrounding the violent unrest in Tembisa in 2022, which resulted in severe damage to municipal property, significant financial losses estimated in the millions of rands, and, most tragically, the loss of human life. While recognising that many community members expressed legitimate grievances at that time, the City also acknowledges with concern that these grievances were overshadowed by acts of criminality and vandalism.
In light of the prevailing circumstances, and following extensive consultation with key stakeholders as well as a thorough assessment of potential risks, the Executive Mayor has resolved to suspend the implementation of the fixed electricity tariff charge of R126.00 (including VAT), with immediate effect across Ekurhuleni. This decision is subject to urgent endorsement by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipal Council and will facilitate further structured public consultations.
The suspension is intended to:
– Enable comprehensive, inclusive, and orderly engagement with affected communities.
– Ensure that legitimate concerns raised by residents are systematically and effectively addressed.
– Mitigate the risk of recurrence of destructive and violent events such as those experienced in Tembisa during 2022.
– The municipal administration is currently undertaking preparations to implement the suspension on the billing system, thereby ensuring immediate and effective cessation of the fixed charge pending the requisite Council approval and subsequent public engagement processes.
The City is calling upon all residents to remain calm, exercise restraint, and participate constructively and peacefully in the forthcoming consultative processes. The municipality says it remains fully committed to engaging robustly with residents regarding electricity tariffs and broader service delivery concerns; however, it reiterates that acts of violence, vandalism, and criminality cannot and will not be tolerated. Such conduct will be met with swift and decisive legal action.
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