Municipalities increased their electricity prices by 12.72% in July, raising the cost of 350kWh of prepaid electricity from R907 in June to R1,043 – an increase of R136.

This basic amount of electricity is enough to run a toaster, kettle, stove, fridge and some lights for a month, according to estimates from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Dignity and Justice Group, which focuses on issues of economic justice and the food price crisis.

Since January 2021, the price of 350kWh of electricity has increased by almost R400.

Although the old-age social grant has increased by R90 from R2,090 a month last year to R2,180 a month, the increased cost of electricity is tightening the screws on South Africa’s 4.1-million pensioners. 

Social grants should improve nutrition and help with the increasing cost of food, but ‘higher electricity costs are likely to remove money prioritised for monthly food purchases’, the NPO says.