“It Is Pure Evil”: South Africans Outraged as Woman Shows What R200 of Electricity Got Her

• A woman shared her receipt on TikTok, revealing what R200 worth of electricity got her, triggering widespread social media outrage
• Netizens voiced their disbelief at the skyrocketing electricity prices, with many sharing their own struggles and calling for government intervention
• As electricity costs soar, citizens demand transparency from Eskom and a review of South Africa’s pricing model to alleviate the burden on households

The cost of living in South Africa continues to rise, and many are struggling to make ends meet. One woman in Mzansi showcased just what life has come to in South Africa, where basic needs are not even affordable.

Woman's 11 units of electricity for R200

The woman, who goes by the handle @hlompho.molomo, shared a receipt of her R200 electricity bill on TikTok on 2 July 2025.

She showcased how many units she got when purchasing her R200 electricity, which was 11 units, sparking widespread outrage on social media. The post quickly went viral, triggering a flood of similar complaints from frustrated citizens who say they are struggling with the rising cost of electricity in the country.

The woman, who shared a screenshot of her electricity purchase on social media, expressed disbelief at how little R200 could now buy.

"What on earth yoh, South Africa."

Many netizens echoed her sentiments, sharing their own experiences and voicing concerns about the increasing unaffordability of basic services.

Electricity prices in South Africa have been climbing steadily, with annual hikes approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) often drawing criticism. For low- and middle-income households, the rising costs are becoming unsustainable, especially as load shedding and infrastructure challenges persist.

Many people in the comments have attributed the declining units per rand to a combination of increased tariffs and block tariff structures, where the more electricity you use, the higher the cost per unit. Many South Africans are now calling for greater transparency from Eskom and urgent government intervention to address the crisis.

As outrage grows, consumer advocacy groups have urged the public to document their purchases and submit complaints to relevant authorities. In the meantime, citizens continue to grapple with the harsh reality of rising energy costs, a struggle that many feel is pushing them to the brink.

The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for a review of the country’s electricity pricing model.

Watch the video below:

SA voices its frustration about electricity prices

The online community was not impressed by the number of units one could obtain with R200, as they took to the comments section to share their thoughts.

TheOnly_Kagiso said:

"Guys, let’s stop complaining and start demonstrating!"

Desiré expressed:

"I bought R500 on 30 June and got 82 units. This country is not even a joke anymore."

Tommy wrote:

"The electricity to cook food nearly costs more than the food being cooked."

Kans stated:

"R200, you get 11 units? Wow, I wonder what would happen to Eskom if everyone in South Africa just for a month, nje, they said “we don’t buy electricity” just to see what would happen."

JOBES SA commented:

"Been complaining about getting 44 units for R200 and 196 units for R1000.00. This one of 11 units for R200 is pure evil."

Other people complaining about costs

• Briefly News recently reported on a woman who earns in dollars and shows her R10k weekly grocery shopping spree, but what she revealed about why she won't move to America had people questioning everything about the cost of living.
• SA defended an uncle's modest car purchase that meant the world to him, though what financial experts revealed about buying second-hand cars during tough times surprised many buyers.
• A woman's viral Pringles price reveal stirred outrage across South Africa, but the real reason behind the shocking cost increase had economists worried about what's coming next.

Source: Briefly News