If you live in Johannesburg, get ready to dig a little deeper into your pocket. The city’s draft budget for the 2025/26 financial year includes a fresh wave of tariff hikes for key municipal services. Whether you’re paying for water, electricity, or property rates, chances are your monthly expenses are about to climb.
Here’s what’s changing, why it’s happening, and how it could impact your household—and your budget.
The Numbers: What’s Going Up?
According to the proposed budget, which was tabled in March, here’s a breakdown of the tariff hikes:
- Electricity: +12.7%
- Water and Sanitation: +13.9%
- Refuse Removal: +6.6%
- Property Rates: +4.6%
- Prepaid Electricity Service Fee: From R200 to R250 per month (excluding VAT)
For many households already facing rising food prices, petrol hikes, and economic uncertainty, this news hits hard. And if you rely on prepaid electricity to control your usage, the new fixed fee could feel especially unfair.
“We’re doing our best to manage expenses, but this R250 charge feels like a punishment for trying to save,” says Sizwe Khumalo, a Soweto resident. “It’s not just a number—it’s the cost of a week’s groceries for some families.”
Why the Tariff Hikes?
Mayor Dada Morero says the increases are necessary to keep the city financially afloat.
“We need to ensure that the city’s fiscal management is proper and that it has a long-term view on how we are going to raise money to keep the city alive,” he explained during the budget presentation.
The City points to escalating costs from national utilities like Eskom and Rand Water. When their prices go up, municipalities pass the increase along to residents. In January, the energy regulator NERSA approved a 12.74% electricity hike for Eskom, setting off a chain reaction.
What This Means for You
Let’s break it down practically:
- If your electricity bill was around R1,000 per month, expect it to rise by about R127.
- Add the new R250 prepaid fee, and that’s nearly R400 extra monthly.
- Water tariffs—already high in many areas—will climb too, which could affect everything from your morning shower to watering your garden.
- Even refuse removal and property rates are seeing above-inflation increases.
It’s not just the money—it’s the timing. Many residents say it feels tone-deaf amid service delivery issues, pothole-ridden roads, and ongoing power outages.
“How do you justify charging more when basic services aren’t improving?” asks Lerato Dlamini, a mother of two in Randburg. “We’re paying more but getting less.”
Water Woes: A Growing Concern
The 13.9% hike for water and sanitation is partly due to Joburg’s aging infrastructure. According to the city’s own reports, more than 38% of water is lost before it even reaches homes due to leaks and theft.
Experts say this is a sign of deeper issues.
“You can’t keep charging people more for a system that’s leaking money—literally,” says Prof. Miriam Molefe, a public finance lecturer at Wits University. “Tariffs must come with visible improvements in service delivery.”
You Have a Say—But Only Until May
The City of Johannesburg has opened public consultations from 29 March to 10 May 2025, giving residents a chance to provide input before the budget is finalised.
You can submit written feedback, attend community meetings, or engage online through the City’s official website.
“This isn’t just a box-ticking exercise,” says Dada Ngobeni, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Finance. “We want residents to challenge us, ask questions, and share their views. We work for the people.”
More Than Just Tariff Hikes
These tariff hikes aren’t just about the rand amounts—they reflect a larger conversation about governance, accountability, and the value we get for what we pay. For many Joburgers, this year’s budget will be a test of both resilience and engagement.
If you’re feeling the pinch, speak up. The more residents participate, the harder it becomes to ignore their voices.
ALSO READ: Nersa Approves Big Electricity Price Hike, Effective 1 July 2025
