How Joburg residents will be affected by tariff increases from 1 July

A number of tariffs will hit city of Johannesburg ratepayers hard from Thursday. 

Charges for electricity, refuse, property rates and water and sanitation will be increasing from 1 July. 

Most residents are already battling to keep up with soaring inflation rates, intermittent load shedding and many losing their jobs due to continued lockdown restrictions.

ALSO READ: SA’s inflation highest since November 2018

Here is a breakdown of what consumers can expect to pay extra from 1 July 2021 through to 30 June 2022.

Electricity 

The city of Joburg confirmed all electricity service and capacity charges across customer categories will go up by 14.59%.

The city said this was to achieve “greater balance between City Power’s revenue and cost structure”. 

In addition, a network surcharge rate of 6c/kilowatt hour (kWh) will be applied, an amount that has not changed. 

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The only residents exempt from the tariff increase are those who use less than 500kWh per month. 

Large power users and businesses will also have to pay a 2% surcharge. 

Each resident’s electricity tariff increase will vary slightly, depending on how much power they use from City Power’s grid. 

In general, customers who use between 501 and 1,000kWh a month can expect to pay between R187.28 and R200 more. 

Screenshot: City of Johannesburg

Screenshot: City of Johannesburg

Screenshot: City of Johannesburg

Refuse 

Refuse tariffs will increase by 4.3%. 

Properties valued under R1 million can expect to pay between R147 and R245 each month. Properties worth between R1 million and R5 million will now pay between R258 and R384 per month. 

Water and sanitation

Residents will have to pay 6.8% more for water and sanitation services, with businesses also being liable for a 2% surcharge. 

The city said a water demand management levy of R28.32 would also be added per calendar month per dwelling unit with its own meter.

ALSO READ: Why SA hasn’t had load shedding in more than a week

However, for periods where water restrictions have been declared by the Department of Water and Sanitation, fees will vary slightly. 

The first six kilolitres of water will be free. Six to 10 kilolitres will cost R20.28 per kilolitre a month. More than 50 kilolitres a month will set consumers back R60.65 per kilolitre.

Property rates 

For the 2021-22 financial year, all residential properties will incur a 2% rates increase, regardless of property value. 

ALSO READ: Eskom partially to blame for Joburg’s water cuts

However, people with limited income who are not pensioners and have a property not valued above R500,000 may be exempt in terms of the Expanded Social Package. 

Residents dependent on social security grants with properties valued below R350,000 will also be exempt. The same applies for households headed by minors with no parents, as well as pensioners 70 years and older. 

To check how the city of Joburg’s tariffs will affect you, click here for a detailed tariff report.