Has the Makhado Municipality overcharged for electricity for the past year? It would appear as if the municipality has overcharged domestic consumers by 25% and commercial consumers by 68%.

Taken into account that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved a 24.8% increase in tariffs for the next three years, consumers feel that they have already paid an irregular increase of 25 % and therefore their tariffs should remain the same for this year.

“There is an absolute discrepancy between Nersa’s approved rate for Makhado Municipality and what they actually charge,” the Chairperson of the Soutpansberg Ratepayers Association, Mr Frans Prinsloo, said last week.

The Nersa document displays the “tariffs approved and applicable for implementation from 1 July 2009” for the Makhado Municipality and gives a breakdown of the charges for the various categories (www.nersa.org.za). Domestic High, for example, should receive a basic charge of R58.80 per month, but consumers see R73.50 on their accounts. Some consumers are even charged R83.77. The energy charge for Domestic High is 42.00c/kWh, but the consumers pay 52,5c/kWh, which is 25% more.

The prescribed tariff for the basic charge of Commercial Conventional is R245 per month, but businesses pay R428.75. Their energy charge should be 31.20c/kWh, but they are charged 52,5c/kWh, a 68% overcharge.

Prinsloo said that he had given the complaint to the municipal manager, Mr Aifheli Tshikalange, on April 20.

“The municipality must come back to the ratepayers with an answer,” Prinsloo said.

The SPRA said that they were in the process of getting a legal opinion on the matter and that they would seriously consider pursuing the matter in court.

The Makhado Municipality was asked by the Zoutpansberger to explain the discrepancy between the Nersa-implemented basic charges and energy charges, and the actual tariffs charged by the municipality. The municipality was asked to explain on what grounds they decided on an energy charge of 52,5c since 2009. If there was an overcharge, they should explain how they would rectify it. The municipality was also asked to provide the amounts that they will charge for the basic and energy charges of the various categories after the official price increase in 2010.

At the time of going to press, the municipality had yet to reply to the questions. The municipality’s spokesperson, Mr Louis Bobodi, indicated that the municipality was busy sourcing the information and that they would comment on the issue within the next week.