At that rate, South Africa’s tariffs were already 31.91% higher than the world’s average of $0.16 and 66.52% higher than the average tariff across Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, the analysis found that the prices paid by lower-consumption households were 75.41% higher than those of high-consumption households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This gap has likely grown since Eskom implemented its retail tariff plan in April 2025. The new pricing structure includes significant increases in fixed charges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eskom’s 12.74% “average” tariff hike is based on consumption of nearly 700kWh per month, much higher than small middle-class households typically consume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the substantial increase in fixed charges, households with lower monthly electricity consumption, are seeing much higher hikes on their monthly bills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the Electricity Resellers Association of South Africa said its average customer in sectional title schemes is paying around 30% more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conversely, households using above-average energy have seen their bills increase by less than Eskom’s average. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
GlobalPetrolPrices has yet to update its publicly available South African pricing with the latest available data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Its global average electricity tariff has risen roughly 3.75% to 0.166 US cents by the second quarter of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If Eskom’s 12.74% increase was applied directly to the R3.71 from December 2024, the price per kWh increases to R4.18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That converts to about $0.234 with the exchange rate in June 2025, making South Africa’s electricity about 41.14% more expensive than the global average. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eskom’s own average electricity tariff currently stands at R2.12. However, this includes all customers, including industrial customers with preferential pricing costing a fraction of residential fees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even so, the number has increased far above inflation since around 2007, when South Africa first experienced load-shedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Had Eskom’s price increases over the past decade been aligned with inflation, the “official” average tariff would be R1.23 per kWh, around 60% more than in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, it has increased to R2.12, which is roughly 177% higher than a decade ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The table and graph below summarise how Eskom’s average electricity tariff has increased and where it should have been if aligned with inflation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n South Africa’s electricity pricing situation is especially distressing when considering Eskom’s proud history, including boasting the cheapest tariffs in the world during the 1990s and early 2000s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tariff increases were lower than or in line with inflation for many years after the country became a democracy, despite the substantial expansion of electricity infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2001, Eskom won the global power company of the year. By 2003, the country was producing almost double the electricity per capita of the global average. <\/p>\n\n\n\nYear<\/th> Average tariff (c\/kWh)<\/th> Aligned with inflation
(1 April 2015 as base date)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>2015<\/td> 76.41<\/td> 76.41<\/td><\/tr> 2016 <\/td> 82.53<\/td> 81.10<\/td><\/tr> 2017 <\/td> 89.13<\/td> 85.43<\/td><\/tr> 2018<\/td> 93.79<\/td> 89.29<\/td><\/tr> 2019<\/td> 106.80<\/td> 93.26<\/td><\/tr> 2020<\/td> 110.93<\/td> 93.02<\/td><\/tr> 2021<\/td> 128.27<\/td> 100.24<\/td><\/tr> 2022<\/td> 140.59<\/td> 106.13<\/td><\/tr> 2023<\/td> 166.82<\/td> 113.35<\/td><\/tr> 2024<\/td> 188.07<\/td> 119.25<\/td><\/tr> 2025<\/td> 212.03<\/td> 122.62<\/td><\/tr> Total increase<\/strong><\/td> +177.49%<\/strong><\/td> +60.48%<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Average-electricity-tariffs-in-South-Africa-\u2014-2015-to-2025@2x-1200x675.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEskom’s fall from grace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n