Call for South African municipalities to welcome solar panels in order to save billions of rands

[Luis]

Solar panels could save South African municipalities R10 billion a year

The growing number of South African households turning to solar panels could help municipalities across the country save money on Eskom bulk electricity purchases.

This is according to a recently released report from the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), which calls on South Africa’s municipalities to adopt a more welcoming stance on solar.

 

[Lupus]

They do welcome it, but you need to pay for that welcoming.

 

[wingnut771]

Then why are they complaining all the time?

 

[Binary_Bark]

Haibo, how are we going to continue stealing, then, comrade

 

[Bad Ballie]

Bottomline here is the usual, Municipalies want a free meal ticket, they want to charge people no matter what and offer ridiculously low feed in rates while the cost of using their power just gets higher and higher. My retirement plan is off grid and outside municipal boundaries, the golden goose has laid it's last free egg.

 

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

ANC won't allow this... they'll squeal until the gravy boat is brought back.
@TheChamp / @TauTooona will gladly come in here to defend them

 

[Swa]

Oh no, solar users are the enemy.

 

[denmendez65]

ANC won't allow this... they'll squeal until the gravy boat is brought back.
@TheChamp / @TauTooona will gladly come in here to defend them

Is the DA encouraging consumers to feedback in Capetown?

 

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

Is the DA encouraging consumers to feedback in Capetown?

Not where I live, in fact, all I hear is about the fees they want you to pay to have solar

 

[wingnut771]

Is the DA encouraging consumers to feedback in Capetown?

To be fair, they are the only ones that dont require you to be a net consumer. They will actually pay you out if you build a credit so I hear. Still not worth it with the rates and meter costs and hoops and line fees and limited feed in amps.

 

[denmendez65]

To be fair, they are the only ones that dont require you to be a net consumer. They will actually pay you out if you build a credit so I hear. Still not worth it with the rates and meter costs and hoops and line fees and limited feed in amps.

Does JHB require you to be a net consumer? I though they just want you to keep paying the line fees regardless of whether you use or not?

 

[wingnut771]

Does JHB require you to be a net consumer? I though they just want you to keep paying the line fees regardless of whether you use or not?

I think only CoCT allow you to feed in more than you use and get paid, the rest of the country you need to be net consumer in usage but its very hard to go into credit with CoCT because you limited to 3kW on single phase.

 

[icantchooseone]

i just got this via email :

City of Johannesburg
CITY OF JOHANNESBURG METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY
Group Finance: Revenue Shared Services Centre
Contact Centre: 0860 JOBURG (562 874)
Website: www.joburg.org.za
Date: 23 July 2026
Account Number: 987654321
Notice Type: Notice of Non-Compliance and Tariff Adjustment
FINAL DEMAND: UNREGISTERED HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE SURCHARGE
Dear Resident,
Our records show that your property is currently operating high-drain kitchen and laundry appliances.
Under the COJ Municipal Infrastructure Surcharge By-law of 2025, all residents must register large household appliances. These items place a heavy strain on the local electrical grid and municipal sewage systems.
Our data indicates that your household uses the following unregistered items:

• Microwave Oven (High Frequency)
• Washing Machine (Automated)
• Dishwasher (Eco/Standard)

You must pay a monthly Appliance Environmental Tax for these items. The charges will appear on your next regular municipal bill as follows:

Appliance Code	Item Description	Monthly Surcharge
APPL-042	Microwave Surcharge	R 120.00
APPL-089	Washing Machine Water-Grid Tax	R 250.00
APPL-091	Dishwasher Heavy-Load Levy	R 180.00
Total	Monthly Appliance Surcharge	R 550.00

Please note that failure to pay these fees by the first day of next month will result in a Disconnection of Services Notice. Tech teams may also visit your home to inspect your kitchen layout.
To dispute this fee, please fill out the Appliance Removal Declaration Form (Form AR-01) at your nearest Customer Service Centre. You will need to prove that you only cook using an open fire and wash all dishes and clothes by hand.
Regards,
Director: Municipal Revenue & Kitchen Compliance
City of Johannesburg

 

[wingnut771]

i just got this via email :

City of Johannesburg
CITY OF JOHANNESBURG METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY
Group Finance: Revenue Shared Services Centre
Contact Centre: 0860 JOBURG (562 874)
Website: www.joburg.org.za
Date: 23 July 2026
Account Number: 987654321
Notice Type: Notice of Non-Compliance and Tariff Adjustment
FINAL DEMAND: UNREGISTERED HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE SURCHARGE
Dear Resident,
Our records show that your property is currently operating high-drain kitchen and laundry appliances.
Under the COJ Municipal Infrastructure Surcharge By-law of 2025, all residents must register large household appliances. These items place a heavy strain on the local electrical grid and municipal sewage systems.
Our data indicates that your household uses the following unregistered items:

• Microwave Oven (High Frequency)
• Washing Machine (Automated)
• Dishwasher (Eco/Standard)

You must pay a monthly Appliance Environmental Tax for these items. The charges will appear on your next regular municipal bill as follows:

Appliance Code	Item Description	Monthly Surcharge
APPL-042	Microwave Surcharge	R 120.00
APPL-089	Washing Machine Water-Grid Tax	R 250.00
APPL-091	Dishwasher Heavy-Load Levy	R 180.00
Total	Monthly Appliance Surcharge	R 550.00

Please note that failure to pay these fees by the first day of next month will result in a Disconnection of Services Notice. Tech teams may also visit your home to inspect your kitchen layout.
To dispute this fee, please fill out the Appliance Removal Declaration Form (Form AR-01) at your nearest Customer Service Centre. You will need to prove that you only cook using an open fire and wash all dishes and clothes by hand.
Regards,
Director: Municipal Revenue & Kitchen Compliance
City of Johannesburg

Check the email address. Maybe its a phishing scam?

 

[Neuk_]

I think only CoCT allow you to feed in more than you use and get paid, the rest of the country you need to be net consumer in usage but its very hard to go into credit with CoCT because you limited to 3kW on single phase.

3kW on a single phase? What is this, a house for @denmendez65?

 

[Sarg3_ZN]

They do welcome solar, you just also have to keeping paying for the electricity that you are no longer using.

 

[icantchooseone]

Check the email address. Maybe its a phishing scam?

nope its 100% legit . i just got back from the Sandton COJ walk in centre . there were other people there who ignored it and had their appliances confiscated

 

[denmendez65]

nope its 100% legit . i just got back from the Sandton COJ walk in centre . there were other people there who ignored it and had their appliances confiscated

There is a fixed charge for your grid connection. Makes zero sense that they can do this. So, what did Sandton say? Did you pay something?

 

[icantchooseone]

There is a fixed charge for your grid connection. Makes zero sense that they can do this. So, what did Sandton say? Did you pay something?

i had to sign an AOD and pay 50% upfront for the past 12 months

rest they let me pay off over 6 months

if i default they say they will come and remove those 3 appliances

 

[denmendez65]

i had to sign an AOD and pay 50% upfront for the past 12 months

rest they let me pay off over 6 months

if i default they say they will come and remove those 3 appliances

Damn!. Even my AI says it doesnt believe its legit

No, this email is 100% A HOAX / FAKE.

It is either a scam or a joke email designed to panic the recipient into paying money or clicking phishing links.

Here is a breakdown of why this notice is entirely fake and absurd from a municipal law and engineering perspective:

1. Absurd Legal & Practical Claims​

• No such law exists: There is no such thing as a "COJ Municipal Infrastructure Surcharge By-law of 2025" that mandates registering microwaves, washing machines, or dishwashers. Municipalities sell electricity and water per unit (kWh and kilolitres)—they do not tax individual home appliances.
• Absurd dispute requirements: The notice claims that to dispute the fee, you must prove that you "only cook using an open fire and wash all dishes and clothes by hand." This is satire/parody level absurd.
• Fake Department: There is no such role or department as the "Director: Municipal Revenue & Kitchen Compliance." The City of Johannesburg does not employ "Kitchen Compliance" inspectors to inspect residential kitchen layouts.

2. Technical Nonsense​

• How would they know? Municipal meters (even smart meters) track bulk kilowatt-hours (kWh) and water volume (kL). A meter cannot distinguish between a microwave running, a kettle boiling, an iron, or a heater. The claim that "Our data indicates that your household uses..." is technically impossible for CoJ to detect from their grid.
• Fake Appliance Codes: Terms like "APPL-042 Microwave Surcharge" and "APPL-089 Washing Machine Water-Grid Tax" are completely fabricated billing codes.

3. Why Would Someone Send This?​

1. Phishing/Scam: The email likely contains a link or a reply address trying to get the recipient to log in, pay money to a scam bank account, or reveal personal banking details to "dispute" the charge.
2. Prank/Hoax: It could be a chain email or joke designed to play on South Africans' frustration with municipal billing errors and load shedding/grid strain.

What to Do​

• Do NOT click any links inside that email or open any attached files.
• Do NOT pay any money.
• Delete the email.

If the recipient is ever genuinely concerned about their City of Johannesburg account balance, they should log into the real e-Joburg portal directly at www.e-joburg.org.za or call 0860 562 874—where they will see that no such "Kitchen Appliance Tax" exists on their actual municipal statement!