Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza Addresses Tembisa Residents After Protest Against Electricity Tariffs

• Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza addressed residents of Tembisa in Ekurhuleni who have taken to the streets to protest against the cost of electricity
• This was after the city of Ekurhuleni announced in May that electricity prices would increase for the 2025/26 financial year
• Residents burned tyres and blocked roads, and South Africans discussed the protest and the residents' frustrations

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues, including health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests, and immigration in South Africa, during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

TEMBISA, EKURHULENI — Ekukhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza announced that Ekurhuleni is suspending the fixed electricity charge. This was after residents in Tembisa in Ekurhuleni took to the streets in a service delivery protest and clashed with members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 21 July 2025.

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Xhakaza addressed members of the community outside the Rabasotho Community Centre in Tembisa. He said that the R126 fixed charge that Ekurhuleni residents paid in addition to the electricity they usually pay will be suspended. He addressed the community with members of his mayoral committee.

According to eNCA, residents blocked the roads and burned tyres to protest against the high electricity tariffs from 20 July. Residents refused to stop protesting until representatives from the City of Ekurhuleni. Police officers were deployed to the township as multiple areas of Tembisa erupted in service delivery.

Police officers have been attempting to negotiate with the community members for calm, but without success. Members of the community pelleted the police with rocks, and the police responded with tear gas.

Ekurhuleni's tariff increase

In May, the City's MMC for Finance, Jongizizwe Dlabathi, announced during the budget speech that electricity prices will rise in the 2025/26 financial year following the guidelines set by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).

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He also said that water rates will increase. NERSA approved an electricity tariff hike of 12.7% in January 2025. This was despite Eskom applying for a 35% tariff increase.

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa addresses electricity price

Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said on 19 July 2025 that the price of electricity is admittedly high. He said that the government is looking at ways to address the high price of electricity.

What did South Africans say?

Netizens commenting on Facebook shared their views, and some agreed with the protesters.

Oscar Mngomba said:

"It takes 9 units to boil a kettle."

Trevoe Pitt said:

"Demonstrate outside Ramaphosa's gate rather."

John Oktober said:

"Yes, R100 for only 34 units. I'm with you people."

Roy Ronny said:

"Same people who are protesting are the ones who voted for the ANC."

Nunu Wengel NaMashigo said:

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"It's not about the electricity hike. It's about the tariffs being implemented by the municipality on top of the hike."

Otshepeng Tshepi Martins said:

"Some of us own businesses like saloons and chisanyamas and need electricity all the time."

Ntsiki Mazwai calls for electricity protests

In a related article, Briefly News reported that poet and media personality Ntsiki Mazwai called for South Africans to protest the rising electricity costs. She tweeted on 2 July 2025 that she was not happy with the rising prices of electricity.

Mazwai said:

"We need to talk about electricity prices and the fact that we are being robbed and that they don't need to be that high."

She called on South Africans to take to the streets to fight the high prices.

Source: Briefly News