Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has assured South Africans that the country’s power supply is expected to remain stable throughout the upcoming winter months, with no load shedding anticipated.
Speaking at Eskom’s Winter Outlook media briefing on Wednesday, Ramokgopa said the nation has moved beyond the immediate electricity crisis. However, he cautioned that the rising cost of electricity remains a significant challenge for households and the broader economy.
According to Eskom’s Winter Outlook, the power system has stabilised sufficiently to meet increased winter demand. Ramokgopa emphasised that while keeping the lights on is a major achievement, affordability is now the next critical hurdle.
He warned that escalating electricity tariffs disproportionately affect lower-income households by rapidly reducing disposable income. At the same time, middle- and higher-income earners are also feeling the financial strain. The minister added that rising electricity costs contribute to inflationary pressures, ultimately slowing economic growth.
Meanwhile, in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, the city’s proposed R74 billion budget has drawn sharp criticism over planned tariff increases.
The municipality has proposed electricity tariff hikes of 10.5%, alongside increases of 15% for water, 13% for sanitation and refuse removal, and 5% for property rates. City officials maintain that the budget is balanced and aimed at addressing service delivery backlogs and ageing infrastructure.
However, the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement has rejected the proposal, describing it as incomplete, lacking transparency, and disconnected from residents’ needs. The group argues that key details on infrastructure spending and outsourced services remain unclear, limiting public oversight, and has raised concerns about growing consumer debt.