A new Debt Rescue survey reveals that soaring electricity prices have left many South Africans in the dark—literally. The study found that 79% of consumers rely on prepaid electricity, often only buying what they can afford, which means some go without power before the end of the month. Even more concerning, 86% of respondents said they could no longer afford electricity and had already begun cutting back on essentials like food and transport before the tariff increase took effect on 1 April 2025.
Debt Rescue CEO Neil Roets warns that the timing of the increase is disastrous, especially with winter approaching and a possible 0.5% VAT hike looming. The new tariff structure penalises those who use less than 600 units a month, with fixed fees increasing by nearly 90% and variable rates becoming more expensive for low-consumption households—about 20% more.
