BL Premium reports that according to the Presidency, President Cyril Ramaphosa believes Eskom has to be cautious and considerate in applying the recently-approved electricity tariff increase as South Africans are already under severe financial pressure.

This as Ramaphosa met with various stakeholders about the load-shedding crisis. He is apparently “deeply concerned” about the 18.65% tariff increase the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) granted to Eskom from 1 April. “While the president fully appreciates that Eskom needs additional funding, he is equally sympathetic to anger and frustration that is being felt by consumers and households with regard to paying more for power that is intermittent,” presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya indicated. “It is vital that Eskom and municipalities consider a balance that needs to be maintained in the application of this tariff increase. Households are already reeling under the high cost of living. Electricity costs need to match the availability of megawatts and the electricity that people are receiving,” Magwenya quoted Ramaphosa as opining. The President acknowledged that “we are in a crisis”. He told stakeholders that Eskom was “too big to fail”, Magwenya said, and all steps must be taken to ensure the power utility was fixed with the full support of the government. Ramaphosa cancelled his trip to the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland, this week “due to the ongoing energy crisis”.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kgothatso Madisa at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)

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