eThekwini residents are facing steep tariff increases for water, electricity, and waste services in the 2026/2027 financial year. The proposed increases have sparked outrage among residents, who claim they are being asked to pay more each year without seeing any significant improvement in the services they receive.
eThekwini Tariff Increases
The eThekwini Municipality has proposed a 10.5% increase in electricity tariffs, a 15% increase in potable water and sundry water tariffs, and a 13% increase in domestic refuse removal user charges. The Sanitation Directorate has also proposed a 13% domestic tariff increase and a 14% non-domestic tariff increase for sewage disposal user charges and sundry tariffs.
According to the South African Government website, effective and sustainable waste management under the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) remains a key government priority. However, residents are questioning the municipality’s ability to deliver on its promises, given the frequent water outages, electricity disruptions, and infrastructure failures in areas like Tongaat and Glenwood.
Residents’ Concerns
The general secretary of the eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association, Keyuren Maharaj, expressed his concerns about the proposed increases, stating that they come at a time when households are already under severe pressure from the rising cost of living. Maharaj said the municipality should be doing everything possible to soften the burden on residents, not add to it.
Some of the key concerns raised by residents include:
- Ongoing water outages in areas like Tongaat
- Electricity disruptions in areas like Glenwood
- Infrastructure failures
- Lack of consistent communication and follow-through from the city
The eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association is urging the municipality to reconsider the proposed increases and to focus on improving service delivery, reliability, and accountability.
