South Africa: New Joburg Council Has Until March to Decide Your Electricity Bill

What the report says

Johannesburg’s incoming city council will soon have to decide how much residents and businesses pay for electricity, with tariff planning deadlines set for the first months of the new term. According to Scrolla, Eskom has applied to raise the price it charges municipalities by 8.84% from July 2027, while South Africa’s energy regulator, Nersa, is due to rule on that request on 26 November.

The article says Johannesburg must submit its own electricity tariff proposal to Nersa by 30 March each year, after a court ruling that tightened the timetable for municipal submissions. Nersa is then expected to complete its decisions by 5 May, with any approved new tariffs taking effect on 1 July, the start of the financial year. That schedule means a newly elected council will have only a few months to settle in before making decisions that affect household bills.

Scrolla also noted that Johannesburg increased electricity tariffs by 8.63% in July 2026. The report added that some Soweto residents receive power directly from Eskom rather than through the city, which could affect how and when price changes reach them. More broadly, the piece comes as coalition talks follow a tight Johannesburg election result, leaving the city’s future billing decisions uncertain until a governing arrangement is formed.