Thembisa residents protest against new electricity tariff surcharge
Several major routes in Thembisa were blocked off with stones and burning tyres.
The new electricity tariff surcharge of R126 a month was implemented from the beginning of July.
WATCH | Protestors in Tembisa block the mayor's convoy as he prepares to address them regarding increased electricity tariffs in the area.
Video: @Muchave1Muchave pic.twitter.com/4x3q25JUb1
— Sowetan LIVE (@SowetanLIVE) July 21, 2025
Mithe Mokgotadi, 55, who said he has lived in Thembisa his whole life, told Sowetan: 'In May I was billed R12,000 and this month I've been billed R3,000. That is for everything, from rates to water. And on top of that, I still need to make payment for electricity.
'Paying R250 gets you at least 64 units, but that is not enough. It can last you three days at most, and so I have to keep buying electricity.
'I live in a house where there is more than five of us and I don't have a job. I only sell apples and some vegetables from home to make do with what I have. But it's not enough, because in a month I spend at least R3,000 on electricity — and now they want to make matters worse by increasing the tariff.
'At this point they want us to turn to crime and making illegal connections because we are really struggling — but they don't see that. They are mugging us of the little we have.'
WATCH | Tembisa resident Josephina Siboni (62) says she does not understand the newly introduced tariffs and what they mean. She says when buying electricity, the units do not reflect accordingly.
Video: @Koena_xM pic.twitter.com/M4YNYRtn80
— Sowetan LIVE (@SowetanLIVE) July 21, 2025
Another resident, Enos Mohlari, 60, said he applied to fall into the indigent category in April and is baffled why he has been billed.
'Just a few days ago, I received a statement saying that I owed the municipality more than R3,000 — I am being forced to pay,' he said.
'My hands are tied because I don't have the money to pay these bills. I don't work at all, but they're billing me amounts that I don't have in my account. And now they want us to pay more for electricity. It's not fair, the units we get barely get us by.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

TimesLIVE
6 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Parties call for suspension of Bitou municipal manager amid corruption claims
Opposition parties in the Bitou municipality have opened a case of corruption and contempt of court against municipal manager Mbulelo Memani. The ANC, Plett Democratic Congress (PDC) and the PA laid the criminal complaint against him at the Plettenberg Bay police station. They accused Memani of 'defiance of a high court order and alleged misuse of public funds for personal and political gain'. In a joint statement, the parties claimed to have evidence that a municipal official had paid R800,000 to the municipality on Memani's behalf. ANC councillor Sandiso Gcabayi accused Memani of creating a high-profile post for Allen Paulse without following recruitment procedures. 'In December 2024, Memani submitted a new organigram to the Bitou municipality for council approval. This new organigram included the new position for performance management, monitoring and evaluation. This position was [allegedly] specifically created for Allen Paulse,' Gcabayi said.


eNCA
11 hours ago
- eNCA
Whistleblower flagged school nutrition scandal in 2019
DURBAN - KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has received explanations from two MECs accused of tender irregularities. Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka is accused of interfering in an almost R3-billion nutrition programme. A company he co-founded is involved in the bidding process. On the other hand, Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane is being questioned about her family business. It allegedly benefited improperly from government contracts. In 2019, whistleblower Thabiso Zulu warned in an exclusive interview with eNCA that the school nutrition tenders were a ticking time bomb. "It remains a criminal site over the years that school nutrition has been turned into a tenderpreneur syndicate where those who are connected to politicians are making their money," Zulu said.

TimesLIVE
a day ago
- TimesLIVE
Macpherson halts EPWP funds to Free State municipality amid 'political gains'
Public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has suspended expanded public works programme (EPWP) funds to the Matjhabeng municipality in the Free State pending investigations into alleged politically connected individuals receiving inflated salaries through the programme. City Press reported the municipality's EPWP pays inflated salaries to former councillors and sitting political office bearers, with others earning more than R31,000 a month — 10 times more than the average EPWP stipend. The EPWP provides unemployed individuals, especially youth, with temporary employment opportunities while equipping them with skills to be employable. Participants receive a stipend. Macpherson said the programme was not a 'vehicle for patronage'. 'The EPWP is an essential lifeline for many in communities around the country, including in Matjhabeng, and it would be unacceptable if any politician or official is found to have used the programme for personal benefit,' he said.