We have become far too accepting of our state-run monopolies' irrational tariff hikes. They expect us to be grateful for an 8% electricity price increase after softening us up with a ridiculous 16% proposal. For the past 12 years, coal prices have escalated by only 3.8% a year on average, while the national inflation rate was 5.7% for 2013.
If Eskom stopped giving away electricity to neighbouring countries and South African non-payers, we could have an increase that would allow our economy to grow and jobs to be preserved . State-run entities should not be permitted to raise their tariffs by more than resource- and national inflation-linked amounts .
How can we trust a government that loses at least R20-billion a year to fraud and mismanagement to charge us as little as needed for essentials on which it holds a monopoly?
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