The proposed tariff hikes have sparked debates about inequality, access to power and the future of South Africa’s energy landscape
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.In a country where electricity is essential for daily life, it is fast becoming a privilege rather than a right in South Africa.
Such dramatic price hikes come at a time when many South Africans are already struggling with affordability and access to electricity. For a growing number of households, electricity is becoming a luxury — accessible only to those who can afford it. Beyond rising costs, load-shedding and load-reduction, while currently minimally experienced, are perfect examples of electricity being a privilege in South Africa. Millions of South Africans are left in the dark for hours, sometimes even days, because Eskom’s generation capacity is repeatedly compromised by breakdowns at its coal-fired power stations, mismanagement and failure to invest in new infrastructure.
South Africa’s electricity woes are closely tied to Eskom’s mismanagement and lack of proper long-term planning. Decades of corruption, political interference and a failure to invest in sustainable energy sources have brought the utility to the brink of collapse. Eskom’s reliance on coal-fired power stations, which are expensive to maintain and environmentally damaging, has proven to be a costly gamble.
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