Someone is taking us for a ride

As reported on the front page of Klerksdorp Record (June 6) the municipality states that the need to ensure services are cost-reflective and to fund essential infrastructure maintenance and upgrades played a significant role in the decision to increase tariffs.

- Vic Delport, via email

However, this raises an important question: If services are meant to be cost-reflective, how are tariff increases justified when the percentage increase is higher than in previous years?

Take the electricity tariffs. Consumers can expect a substantial 12% increase in electricity tariffs for 2025/26, pending NERSA approval. Basic charges are also set to rise by 4.4%. This 12% increase was also referenced by DA Councillor Gerhard Strydom in the Klerksdorp Record on June 12.

But the electricity supply tariff schedule, which was submitted and approved by Council on 30 May, shows an 11.5% increase for both basic charges and units (subject to NERSA's approval). So what is it going to be?