BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – The electricity tariff increase stakeholder submissions are supposed to start next week Friday.
This is according to a schedule issued by Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA), on its website. The schedule specifies the dates and places where the meetings are supposed to take place. “The Authority will hold public hearings to gather comments on the electricity tariff review application. Members of the public and various stakeholders are encouraged to attend the public hearings,” said part of the statement of ESERA.
The first hearings will be held at The George Hotel in Manzini on Friday next week (November 15, 2024). Below is a table showing the dates and the places where the submissions will happen:
Day Date Time Venue
Friday 2024/11/15 9:30am The George Hotel – Manzini
Saturday 2024/11/16 10am Siteki Hotel
Friday 2024/11/22 10am Riverside Hotel – Big Bend
Saturday 2024/11/23 10am EWSC Auditorium – Nhlangano
Tuesday 2024/11/26 9:30am Happy Valley Hotel – Ezulwini
Saturday 2024/11/30 10am Thokoza Centre – Mbabane
Wednesday 2024/12/04 10am KDDP Hall – Sihhoye
Saturday 2024/12/07 10am Caritas – Manzini
This past Tuesday (November 5, 2024), this publication reported that it is now up to electricity consumers to determine if the proposed electricity tariff increase of 25.51 percent stands or not. This is because the consumers were invited by ESERA to make their submissions, regarding the proposed electricity hike. ESERA CEO Sikhumbuzo Tsabedze, during a press conference held in Mbabane on the day, stated that they could not allow EEC to go on and apply the proposed hike without hearing from the consumers.
Tsabedze said EEC applied for an electricity tariff increase of 25.51 percent from next year. ESERA is supposed to have made a decision on this regard by February 1, 2025. “They say that for them to be able to operate, they are asking for an amount of E4.2 billion for the 2025/26 financial year. In the following year (2026/27), they are asking for E4.57 billion. This means they are asking for an electricity tariff increase of 25.51 percent for 2025/26 financial year, while they ask for an increase of 27.06 percent for 2026/27 financial year,” Tsabedze said.
The CEO stated that EEC applied for the tariff increase on November 1, 2024. This means that by February 1, 2024, ESERA should give EEC a feedback on what Emaswati would say, regarding the proposal made by the latter. Yesterday (Thursday, November 7, 2024), Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini also mentioned that the 25 percent increase was still a request. It had not been approved by anyone.
The premier pleaded with Emaswati to attend the stakeholder submission sessions, which would determine whether the 25 percent increase proposal would be approved or not.
Also, Government promised to intervene on the matter, as it had heard the complaints coming from Emaswati regarding the proposal. Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo, in a statement he issued yesterday, stated that Government would ensure that whatever decision made during the stakeholder submissions favoured Emaswati. “On that note, Government wishes to assure the nation that we will scrutinise the electricity hike proposal with a view to ensure that the outcome favours Emaswati and that the nation is protected in the process,” Nxumalo said.
