Ramokgopa set to publish draft electricity pricing policy amendment, promising cheaper tariffs

Jan

Jan

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Ramokgopa promises cheaper electricity and more transparent tariffs

Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is set to publish South Africa's revised electricity pricing policy for public comment on Friday, 21 August 2026.

The Minister has been reviewing the country's electricity pricing policy to make electricity more affordable and ensure tariff transparency.
 
I seriously doubt this is possible at face value. Eskom has far too much debt to be in any position to bring prices down, and the trajectory has always been up. The only way I can see this even being in the realm of reality is that as usual the middle and upper classes paying more so that the lower class can get it cheaper scenario.
 
B-1 said:
Lots of fixed fees and slightly cheaper electricity per unit cost on the packages no one can get/want.
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This is the most probable outcome; they can then tie people who don't even use electricity from them into a system and ensure income forthemselves.
 
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Who wants to bet low usage users will end up paying more due to "transmission" charges?
 
Jan said:
Ramokgopa promises cheaper electricity and more transparent tariffs

Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is set to publish South Africa's revised electricity pricing policy for public comment on Friday, 21 August 2026.

The Minister has been reviewing the country's electricity pricing policy to make electricity more affordable and ensure tariff transparency.
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How? As far as anything from Eskom, we are not paying enough... so how are we suddenly able to make it cheaper?
 
What needs to happen at ESKOM is the following:
They need to make the electricity cheaper to stop people from going to other means for the supply of power for themselves
They need to find, punish and stop people for selling electricity illegally.
Force ALL people to pay for the electricity they use.
Take over munisipalities' electricity departments who does not pay them.

Will any of the above happen? No!
 
“The policy categorises our customers. It starts with the poor and advocates for an increase in the baseline of free electricity without burdening the fiscals,” he said.

The Minister said this would be possible due to the efficient allocation of the free base subsidy from the National Treasury.

“The current situation is that there’s a lot of leakage. It’s given to municipalities, and then it goes to paying salaries as opposed to its principal objective of supporting the poor,” he said.
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This is a man that cannot see the forest for the trees. But it is the same mistake that has been made for decades now.

The price of electricity should not include profits for paying the salaries of anybody not involved with the provision of electricity. Nor to pay for infrastructure not involved with providing electricity. However, to seek profits from electricity provision for ANY other purpose, including cross subsidized benefit to the poor, is putting the cart in front of the horse.

Electricity and all energy is a foundational part of a working country. An aspect of the bedrock upon which any modern economy stands.

Electricity should be as affordable as possible, no less and no more. The simple fact of the matter is that if it were - Then there would be far less poor people in South Africa today.
 
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