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The DA fight against Eskom’s upcoming tariff hike now moves to Parliament, after the Speaker has officially acceded to schedule our Debate of Urgent Public Importance against the tariffs.

National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza has confirmed that the DA debate will proceed, requesting the National Assembly specifically to consider the legality of Eskom being allowed to add a “make-up tariff” next year to every user’s billing.

The debate will specifically interrogate the National Energy Regulatory Authority's (NERSA) decision to allow Eskom to recover an extra R8 billion next year, through this “make-up tariff” which it calls a “regulatory clearing account” and which will allow Eskom to collect an extra R8 billion to make up for shortfalls in its revenue in previous years.

The DA is hard at work campaigning and fighting against the unconscionable increase to electricity tariffs which Eskom wants next year, and this debate propels our efforts onto the national legislative stage. The first victory that the scheduling of this debate brings takes the DA's fight against exorbitant electricity bills to the floor of Parliament

The potential impact of a 40% electricity tariff increase is horrendous for South Africans already struggling under a cost of living crisis. If NERSA grants Eskom’s request for a further increase of 36% next year, on top of the R8 billion they want to levy as a “make-up tariff” millions of South Africans are going to be forced to choose between buying food and making electricity payments.

The combined increase will force consumers who currently spend R900 per month on electricity soon to pay R1,260 per month.

This is why the DA will fight this tooth and nail.

Having this debate confirmed to the DA is another important step in our efforts to protect South African households from the severe financial burden resulting from electricity tariff increases, because the DA cares deeply about the financial difficulty everyone is facing.

Issued by Kevin Mileham MP - DA Spokesperson on Electricity and Energy