South Africa: Electricity and Paraffin Now Cost Families R122 More

What the report says

South African households that rely on prepaid electricity and paraffin are facing higher energy costs after two separate price changes within weeks, according to reporting distributed by AllAfrica from Scrolla. The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) said its affordability calculations show that a typical 350kWh prepaid electricity purchase rose by R81.57 a month in July, following a 6.9% tariff increase.

The group said it uses Msunduzi Municipality’s prepaid electricity tariff as a benchmark for household cost estimates. Under that calculation, the monthly price for 350kWh moved from R1,181.88 to R1,263.45. Paraffin users then faced another increase from 5 August, when the government raised the maximum retail price of illuminating paraffin by R2.03 a litre.

That change means a 10-litre purchase costs R20.30 more than before, while a 20-litre purchase adds R40.60 to the bill. For a household using both PMBEJD’s electricity example and 20 litres of paraffin, the combined increase comes to R122.17 a month.

The reported increases matter because paraffin is widely used in lower-income homes and in places without reliable grid access. The article also notes that the paraffin hike came even as petrol prices fell in August, highlighting how different household fuels can move in opposite directions.