DA says working on affordable and transparent electricity tariffs
The Demoratic Alliance (DA) has called for the amendment of the National Electricity Regulation Act, saying NERSA should indicate just how much consumers are actually paying for their electricity tariffs.
Accordingly, this amendment will ensure consumer certainty, transparency and cost-efficient tariffs. The party held a press briefing outlining how they plan to stop what it terms unfair electricity tariff hikes. The party says this will ease the financial pressure on households and businesses in the country.
The DA claims that reliable electricity has now become an essential in the country adding many households are still struggling to access adequate electricity.
DA Energy and Electricity spokesperson Kevin Mileham says they are working on ensuring affordability and transparency in the prices of electricity.
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Following last year’s NERSA electricity tariff calculation mistake, he says they want to amend the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act to ensure public comment and proper adjustment of tariff hikes.
“We are also proposing that NERSA is not permitted to introduce retrospective tariffs, in other words, tariffs that apply to previous years or years that have already started. Last year, we saw NERSA make a mistake and attempt to apply a R54 billion adjustment resulting from an error on its part, which had an impact on consumers. It’s not the consumer’s fault that a calculation error has been made, so why should they have to bear the cost of those errors?” says Mileham.
Meanwhile, the DA in the Free State promised to lessen the burden of electricity costs for residents, in Mangaung. According to DA Mangaung mayoral candidate, Werner Pretorius, they will do this by ring-fencing revenue to ensure funds are used adequately.
He says they will also invest in the bulk infrastructure to provide stable power to residents. Pretorius added that they will strengthen law enforcement in the metro to fight the theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure.
“The revenue needs to be ring-fenced, and we need to invest heavily in preventative maintenance and infrastructure improvements, including our substations. But we must also work closely with communities, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and our community policing forums (CPFs) to prevent vandalism and theft. Our communities are under attack from criminals stealing our infrastructure, and we must put an end to that,” says Pretorius.
The party will also target hotspots prone to power cuts and vandalism in Mangaung and invest in the improvement of bulk infrastructure post 2026 Local Government Elections.
CREDIT: Kamohelo Tsotetsi
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