Watch: Viral videos expose South Africa’s electricity cost squeeze

South Africans are comparing their electricity bills online as viral videos highlight how differently prepaid power can stretch from one municipality to another.

One video, filmed in Conradie Park and originally shared by the GOOD Party on TikTok, shows a resident questioning where their electricity money is going.

@forgoodza If someone loads money expecting it to last a certain period, they should be able to understand exactly how that money is being used and why their balance changes. No confusing deductions. No unexplained charges. No having to chase someone for answers. Every cost should be clearly communicated, transparently displayed and properly reflected in the lease. People have a right to understand the services they are paying for. @brettherronsa @risemzansi ♬ original sound – GOOD

‘It was just the fridge that was on, no lights were on for 2 weeks,’ the resident says.

Another creator, Household CEO, compared reports from different areas. One user said R1 000 bought 185 units in Alberton, while another reported getting 69 units for R400.

@household.ceo6 How much do you spend on electricity?? ⚡⚡ #creatorsearchinsights #energypower #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Household CEO

The comments show how personal the numbers have become. One user said R100 buys 25 units, while another reported R2 000 for 369 kWh. A user simply responded, ‘Yoooh, Western Cape.’

Cape Town residents also pay a daily service charge for prepaid electricity. The City’s 2026/27 tariff is R2.46 a day, including VAT. That works out to about R74 over 30 days and almost R898 a year before households use a single unit.

Some have turned to solar to cut their electricity costs, with one user saying their monthly bill now amounts to little more than the R75 service charge.

The cost has climbed over several years. NERSA approved an 18.49% municipal increase in 2023/24, followed by a further 9.01% increase for 2026/27.

The debate is also playing out on Reddit, where one household questioned a monthly electricity bill of more than R3 000 despite making several cuts to its power use.

Picture: Screenshot / Reddit

For households trying to stretch every unit, the geyser has become an unlikely villain in the monthly budget. The question is becoming almost routine: keep it on and risk watching the meter spin, or switch it off and brace yourself for the cold shower?