“It’s Ridiculous”: SA Couple Shares Their Electricity Bill Equal to a New SUV’s Monthly Instalment

• A couple’s electricity bill sparks a conversation online after they reveal how expensive their monthly power costs have become
• Rising electricity tariffs continue affecting households across the country as many families look for ways to reduce their energy spending
• More South African homeowners are beginning to consider solar power as electricity prices keep climbing year after year

Their frustration reflects a concern many South Africans quietly deal with every month, as electricity costs keep rising and people search for ways to keep their homes powered without breaking the bank.

A South African couple shared their frustration over rising electricity costs in a TikTok video posted on 11 March 2026 by @thebenekes. They revealed that their monthly electricity bill had become so high that it felt comparable to paying for a new SUV or even someone’s salary. The couple questioned how electricity had become so expensive in the country and asked viewers to share how much they were paying for power in their homes. They captioned the video:

Read also

Woman joked you need R1 million to survive in South Africa

“How is it even possible at this point?”

Electricity prices in South Africa have been steadily rising in recent years. Eskom tariffs have increased multiple times as the power utility struggles with debt, infrastructure maintenance and load-shedding challenges. The price of electricity per kilowatt-hour (kWh) has climbed significantly over the past decade, meaning households often pay thousands of rand each month depending on their usage. Many families have started exploring alternatives such as solar power to reduce reliance on the national grid.

Rising electricity costs frustrate South Africans

For many South Africans, electricity has become one of the biggest monthly expenses after rent, groceries and transport. Households with large properties, electric appliances or pool pumps often feel the pressure even more. The couple in the video said they were seriously considering installing solar panels to bring their energy costs down.

Viewers quickly joined the conversation once user @thebenekes's video started circulating online. Many people shared their own electricity bills and compared how much they were paying each month. Others said they were also looking into solar power as a long-term solution to rising electricity prices.

Read also

Man showed how he was scammed after buying TV wrapped in plastic in Johannesburg

Check out the TikTok video below:

Here’s how Mzansi reacted

MaddiDee96 wrote:

“Wow… you guys in the comments are saying R3500 for one month? That’s $300 in AU, which is what my household pays for three months of electricity. I thought we had it bad. This video humbled me.”

Naomi Botha wrote:

“Prepaid R2500–R3000 using a gas stove, no unnecessary lights burning, geyser gets switched on and off. I work only to pay my rent and electricity, no money left to live or buy food.”

Dean Nougoum wrote:

“Ten households on one property, two businesses and six rental properties – R7000 to R8500. Mostly for the businesses. We have solar everywhere and use forklift lead-acid batteries. Works like a charm.”

Snookie wrote:

“Be thankful that you have the funds to pay it. What about people who do not have the funds? Just be thankful. Don’t look at what you don’t have, look at what you do have.”

Read also

Cape Town woman revealed the exhausting hunt for an apartment amid soaring rents

Vanessa Booyse687 wrote:

“R2000, but we are eight people and have solar with a pool and borehole pump, two solar geysers and one electrical. We are off-grid with water at least, but we are working to get more batteries.”

BornToBeWild wrote:

“I’ve been charged for electricity for five years now, and I’m off-grid on solar. They have been here, I’ve emailed proof, but I just never get a reply. It is crazy. They don’t work at City Power.”

Amy wrote:

“I earn minimum wage. Between rent, electricity, food and petrol, I’m not surviving. My whole salary goes toward electricity and food. My partner pays the rent and petrol, luckily, but I’m still struggling every month. R1000 electricity is like 200 units, if even.”

Lincoln Erasmus wrote:

“We pay around R7k to R8k for electricity and R2k to R3k for water. We don’t have an electric stove, only a gas stove. It’s just the geyser that’s on, and we do not have air-conditioning at all.”

Read also

Payslip revealed what a junior SOC analyst earned after four years of IT study

Zainy wrote:

“After you install solar, you have to let the municipality know that you are off-grid, and they will continue to bill you. There is also a levy to pay for going off-grid, but I’m not sure how it works.”

3 Other Briefly News stories related to electricity

• The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ruled against the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (NERSA) approval of municipal electricity tariff increases.
• A man went viral after recording himself complaining about rising electricity costs, saying what used to last two weeks now only lasts one week for the same amount of money.
• Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramogkopa wants the rising costs of electricity to be decreased, sparking reactions online.

Source: Briefly News