Last week, communities in Tembisa, a township in Johannesburg, took to the streets to protest a new monthly electricity surcharge of R126 added to household bills. For families already struggling to make ends meet, this extra cost is the difference between getting by and going without.
The charge kicked in on July 1st to help plug a R300 billion¹ hole in Eskom and municipal budgets, and has sparked public outrage. It adds an extra 13.4% to electricity bills that many poor households simply can not afford.
What’s happening in Tembisa points to a much bigger problem: rising inequality in South Africa is affecting access to energy. While communities like Tembisa struggle to afford electricity, wealthier (often whiter) suburbs are installing solar panels, cutting ties with the grid.
New research by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research and Stellenbosch University backs this up. Satellite² images show the growing divide: suburbs powered by private rooftop solar shine at night, while nearby low-income areas are left in the dark. Researchers are calling this divide South Africa’s energy apartheid.
As wealthier households buy less electricity, Eskom and local municipalities are worried³ about their profits. But instead of exploring new, fairer ways to fund our energy needs, they’re pushing the costs onto people who can’t afford to opt out of the grid.
Ferron Pedro, Energy Justice Campaigner at 350Africa.org, argues,
“we need policies that support socially owned renewable energy—community-driven solutions that put people before profit,” Pedro says. “We’ve already seen it working. Groups like the Sekhukhune Combined Mining-Affected Communities are showing us that social ownership can deliver cheaper power, create jobs, and build a fairer future.”
Since the protests, the surcharge has been temporarily paused for two weeks. But a short break won’t make the problem go away.
Here’s what we think Eskom and municipalities need to do
- Stop relying on unfair surcharges that hit the poorest hardest. Find smarter, more just ways to fund electricity.
- Invest in community-owned renewable energy so everyone has access to clean, affordable power.
- Give communities a real voice in decisions about energy planning and pricing.
The poorest should not be penalised by Eskom’s electricity or financial problems. The government needs to find new ideas, ones that put justice, sustainability, and dignity at the heart of our energy future.
Ekurhuleni’s mayor is expected⁴ to give an update to the council this week on the paused fixed electricity charge for some households.
Stay tuned for an update on this story.
In solidarity
Tumi, on behalf of 350Africa.org
¹ Tembisa electricity surcharge suspended after riots
³ South Africa: Eskom Under Pressure from Residential Solar Growth