BY NOKUPHILA NXUMALO (Intern)
MBABANE – Municipal leaders and energy sector experts say improving billing accuracy, ensuring fair tariffs and reducing electricity distribution losses are critical steps toward restoring public trust and strengthening municipal revenue systems.
The issues were discussed during a session aligned with a conference hosted by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), where municipal officials and energy regulators examined strategies to improve financial sustainability and encourage payment compliance in municipalities.
The discussion featured City of Mbabane Chief Executive Officer Gciniwe Fakudze, South African Revenue Protection Association (SARPA) representative Rens Bindeman, and National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) official Tabisa Nkopo, who shared insights on challenges affecting municipal billing and electricity management.
During the session, panelists identified inaccurate or estimated billing as one of the major causes of dissatisfaction among municipal customers. They noted that weak billing systems can undermine public confidence in municipal services and discourage residents from paying for services.
Experts said improving meter reading processes, maintaining accurate customer databases and investing in modern billing technologies could help municipalities strengthen revenue collection while rebuilding trust with residents.
The panel also discussed electricity distribution losses, which they said continue to affect municipal finances. Ageing infrastructure, illegal electricity connections and meter tampering were cited as some of the main contributors to these losses.
According to the panelists, addressing these challenges requires infrastructure upgrades, stronger enforcement measures and community engagement programmes aimed at discouraging electricity theft and promoting responsible energy use.
From a regulatory perspective, the experts also highlighted tariff fairness as an important factor in strengthening public confidence in municipal service delivery. While tariffs must reflect the cost of providing electricity and other services, transparency in how they are determined is essential.
Panelists said involving communities in tariff-setting processes and clearly communicating reasons for price adjustments could improve public acceptance and encourage voluntary payment compliance.
The session concluded with participants noting that municipal finance challenges require both technical solutions and strong leadership. They said improving billing systems, ensuring fair tariffs and reducing electricity losses could help municipalities strengthen financial stability while improving service delivery.
