Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Retief Odendaal MPL and pictures from a media briefing led by DA EC Provincial Leader, Andrew Whitfield MPL, DA NMB Mayoral Candidate, Retief Odendaal MPL and DA EC Provincial Spokesperson, Cllr Georgina Faldtman, here, here, here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will approach the Gqeberha High Court to seek an urgent interdict to stop the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality from further implementing its unconstitutional and backbreaking electricity tariffs for domestic consumers for the 2026/27 financial year.
We are instituting legal proceedings arguing that the municipality’s adopted electricity tariff increase is based on a fundamentally flawed public participation process.
The ANC/EFF-led coalition of chaos government’s decision to abolish inclining block electricity tariffs was also never communicated to the public and has resulted in a substantial increase for many households, particularly households using less than 300 kWh per month.
Under the previous block tariff structure, the first 300 units were charged at a lower rate to provide affordability protection for lower-income households.
By removing this more affordable tariff, the municipality has effectively increased the cost of electricity for many households by approximately 25% – 30%. This is far higher than the publicly communicated average tariff increase of 10.95%.
The consultation process was inadequate, with public meetings held over just three days, many during office hours, limiting meaningful public participation.
We also believe that the municipality was fully aware that the scrapping of the inclining block tariffs and moving to a base cost would unduly prejudice certain categories of residents. The anticipated impact of this proposal was purposely and intentionally hidden from consumers and not disclosed during compulsory public participation processes.
Our legal challenge seeks to ensure that the municipality complies with its constitutional and legislative obligations when making decisions that affect the public.
The municipality has chosen to recover additional revenue from paying customers instead of addressing the financial and operational failures within its bankrupt Electricity and Energy Directorate, which recorded losses of R1.5 billion in the last audited financial year.
Residents should not be forced to carry the cost of electricity losses, poor financial management, inadequate maintenance and years of mismanagement.
The tariff increases come at a time when families across Nelson Mandela Bay are already under severe financial pressure.
Rising food prices, transport costs, and other household expenses have made the cost of living increasingly unaffordable. A near 30% increase in electricity costs will force many residents to make impossible choices between keeping the lights on and paying for other basic necessities.
Businesses will also feel the impact. Small businesses, manufacturers, retailers, and entrepreneurs cannot absorb another major increase in operating costs. Higher electricity prices threaten investment, economic growth, and job creation.
The DA will continue fighting for the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay and will use every available avenue, including the courts, to oppose unfair decisions that place unnecessary pressure on households and businesses.
On 4 November, residents can unite behind the DA and vote for a government that will provide affordable and reliable electricity so that we can get Nelson Mandela Bay working again.