The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) rejects the Mbombela Local Municipality’s (Mbombela/Nelspruit, Barberton, Hazyview, Kaapsehoop, Skukuza, White River) proposed 11,6% electricity tariff increase for the 2026/2027 financial year.
This increase is unjustifiable and needlessly puts further financial strain on residents and businesses already struggling to make ends meet due to the high cost of living.
The proposed increase is well above the inflation rate with households expected to be the hardest hit. Poorer communities will be forced to reduce electricity consumption or switch to unsafe alternatives.
In addition, it will be detrimental to the local economy as it will push up operational costs. Job creation will be jeopardised while businesses’ sustainability will be undermined.
Moreover, high tariffs increase the risk of non-payment and electricity theft, further destabilising the municipal network and, ultimately, hampering service delivery to everyone.
While taxpayers are forced to pay more, state institutions still owe the Municipality hundreds of millions, but no decisive steps are taken to recover this debt.
At the same time, certain departments make excessive overtime payments averaging R18,6 million per month – a clear sign of poor cost management.
Requests for meter audits are simply ignored, fuelling distrust and creating the impression that the Municipality does not want potential errors or irregularities to come to light.
The Freedom Front Plus demands that the Municipality first get its own house in order, remedy financial management, recover outstanding state debt, and cut unnecessary and excessive expenditure before considering any tariff increases.
Mbombela residents deserve a municipality that is governed responsibly and resolves its own failures instead of shifting them onto taxpayers.
