South Africans oppose Eskom’s proposed 2027 8.83% electricity hike

by Rhaees Hanslo

Civil rights groups, business bodies, and ordinary consumers across South Africa are uniting in fierce opposition against Eskom’s latest tariff proposals.

Also see: Eskom reports R30.3 billion profit for year ended March 2026

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) recently opened public consultations on Eskom’s 2027/28 Retail Tariff Structural Adjustment (ERTSA), which outlines an average 8.83% price increase for direct customers and an 8.84% adjustment for municipal bulk supply set to kick in on 1 April 2027.

While the headline 8.83% figure follows closely on the heels of the 8.76% hike implemented in April 2026, energy analysts and civil society bodies warn that the actual financial hit for households will be far more severe due to aggressive restructuring of fixed daily service fees.

The hidden burden: Steep fixed-charge restructuring

According to detailed analysis of NERSA’s consultation documentation, Eskom is entering the final phase of a three-year glide path to unbundle its fixed infrastructure charges. Currently sitting at 66.6% implementation, the proposed 2027 structure will push fixed costs up to 100%, alongside a nearly 50% jump in separate service and administration fees.

Picture: Getty Images/Felix Dlangamandla

This rebalancing means direct residential consumers will see fixed daily charges surge well above the headline 8.83% mark:

  • Homepower/Homeflex 1: Daily fixed charges rise by 20.1% (from R23.02 to R27.65 per day), totalling roughly R841 per month in fixed costs.
  • Homepower/Homeflex 4: Daily fixed costs jump by 23.3% (from R17.86 to R22.03 per day), requiring households to pay approximately R670 per month before consuming a single kilowatt-hour of electricity.
  • Homepower/Homeflex 3: Fixed daily fees increase by 11.9% (from R84.33 to R94.38 per day), culminating in an extraordinary monthly fixed charge of R2,871.

Also see: Free basic electricity available: Eskom calls on qualifying households to apply

Public backlash and legal pushback from civil society

The proposal has sparked a wave of public anger, particularly as it coincides with Eskom reporting a landmark R30.35 billion net profit for the financial year ended March 2026.

Leading the formal legal opposition, civil rights organisation AfriForum announced it is preparing a comprehensive submission to NERSA to challenge the application. Morné Mostert, AfriForum’s Manager for Local Government Affairs, labelled the continuous above-inflation hikes “indefensible” and warned that Eskom is trapping the nation in a self-destructive economic spiral.

NERSA calls for evidence-based public input

Addressing public concerns, Welile Mkhize, NERSA’s Department Head for Electricity Licensing, Compliance and Dispute Resolution, reminded South Africans that public participation is a statutory mandate under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA).

Mkhize emphasised that while NERSA cannot alter the core allowable revenue already set under the Multi-Year Price Determination (MYPD) framework, which established Eskom’s allowable revenue at R419.4 billion for 2027/28, public submissions can directly alter how those costs are structured and distributed across customer bands.

However, NERSA warned that emotional objections alone will not suffice. Stakeholders, municipalities, and citizens must present tangible financial evidence showing how higher fixed charges compound municipal debt, strain vulnerable households, and harm business sustainability.

Public and stakeholder written submissions to NERSA remain open until 2 October 2026.

Also see: Another Eskom price increase looms for South African households

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