NELSON MANDELA BAY, EASTERN CAPE — The newly implemented Nelson Mandela Bay municipal tariff increases have officially come into effect this July, resulting in higher monthly costs for electricity, water, and property rates for local residents. While the metropolitan municipality maintains that the price hikes are essential for sustaining basic services, frustrated locals argue they are being forced to pay more for infrastructure that consistently fails to deliver.
For many community members, the financial burden is compounded by ongoing service delivery challenges, including aging infrastructure, severe water leaks, and prolonged power outages. One local resident highlighted the daily struggles, noting that electricity cuts often occur without prior warning, leaving households in the dark. The resident described the frustration of paying for services that are not reliably provided, citing severe water quality issues that force community members to purchase their own clean water out of pocket.
A spokesperson for the local ratepayers association echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that higher tariffs must be matched by visible improvements on the ground. The spokesperson pointed to alarming statistics regarding the metro’s infrastructure deficit. According to the association, out of approximately 40,000 lampposts across the municipality, roughly 21,000 have been out of order for years. Furthermore, the spokesperson revealed that between 50% and 60% of the municipality’s water supply is lost due to leaks.
The association detailed the specific financial impact on residents, noting that the new tariff structure includes a 6.5% across-the-board increase for various municipal services. Electricity tariffs have seen the steepest jump at 10.95%, while monthly property tax rates have been increased by 5.5%.
In defense of the adjustments, a municipal spokesperson stated that the tariff increases follow a strictly regulated, scientific method overseen by the national electricity regulator. The spokesperson emphasized that the municipality conducted extensive public participation processes, holding meetings with the business chamber, civil society organizations, and various community clusters to determine what residents could afford to pay.
Addressing the ongoing electricity interruptions, the municipal spokesperson explained that providing power must be done sustainably. The municipality purchases bulk electricity from Eskom and resells it, needing to recoup a specific percentage to remain financially viable and keep the lights on. While expressing sympathy for residents facing power cuts, the spokesperson attributed the inability to guarantee a continuous supply in all areas simultaneously to two main factors: rapidly aging infrastructure and widespread third-party vandalism of municipal assets.
As the new financial year begins, residents are left paying higher tariffs with high expectations for improved service delivery. Whether the increased revenue will translate into fixed streetlights, reliable power, and clean running water remains to be seen.
