The costs of electricity, water, and property rates in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have risen by up to 350 percent more than in some other provinces.
Compared to a year ago, Western Cape residents are paying 17 percent more for electricity and 11 percent more for property rates, while KwaZulu-Natal residents are forking out 14.2 percent more for water.
The latest Stats SA Consumer Price Index reveals the national average increases in these costs across all urban areas to be 15.3 percent, 8.4 percent, and 9.6 percent respectively.
While the rise in these municipal tariffs is no surprise to South Africans, the difference in the price increases across different provinces in the country is glaring.
For example, the increase of electricity tariffs in the Western Cape is 16.9 percent more than in Limpopo, which has had a 10.1 price increase. For property rates, the Eastern Cape has seen a 2.9 percent increase, a figure that is 8.9 percent lower than its Western counterpart.
When it comes to water, KZN’s increase is 350 percent higher than the inflation of water in Mpumalanga, which has seen an increase of 3.1 percent since last year.
Electricity price increases have been highest in the Western Cape, Free State, and Gauteng; water price increases have been highest in KZN, Gauteng, and Free State; and property rates increases have been highest in the Western Cape, Gauteng, and Northern Cape.
Stats SA data reveals these increases to the following municipal tariffs:
ELECTRICITY TARIFFS
ALL URBAN AREAS: 15.3 percent
- Western Cape: 17 percent
- Free State: 16.4 percent
- Gauteng: 15.3 percent
- Mpumalanga: 15.1 percent
- KZN: 15 percent
- Eastern Cape: 15 percent
- North West: 14.2 percent
- Northern Cape: 11.8 percent
- Limpopo: 10.1 percent
WATER CHARGES
ALL URBAN AREAS: 9.6 percent
- KZN: 14.2 percent
- Gauteng: 10 percent
- Free State: 9.1 percent
- Northern Cape: 8.3 percent
- Limpopo: 8.2 percent
- Western Cape: 8.2 percent
- Eastern Cape: 7.8 percent
- North West: 6.3 percent
- Mpumalanga: 3.1 percent
PROPERTY RATES
ALL URBAN AREAS: 8.4 percent
- Western Cape: 11 percent
- Gauteng: 9.1 percent
- Northern Cape: 6.1 percent
- KZN: 5.9 percent
- Limpopo: 5.8 percent
- Free State: 5.7 percent
- North West: 4.7 percent
- Mpumalanga: 3.5 percent
- Eastern Cape: 2.9 percent
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