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• PMBEJD found 350kWh of prepaid electricity rose by R81.57 a month after a 6.9% tariff increase.

• Buying 20 litres of paraffin now costs R40.60 more, taking the combined monthly increase to R122.17.

Families using prepaid electricity and paraffin have been hit by two price increases within weeks.

The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group found that the cost of 350kWh of prepaid electricity increased by R81.57 in July.

PMBEJD uses Msunduzi Municipality’s prepaid electricity tariff for its household affordability calculations.

The tariff increased by 6.9%, taking the cost of 350kWh from R1,181.88 to R1,263.45 a month.

Paraffin users were then hit with another increase from 5 August.

The government raised the maximum retail price of illuminating paraffin by R2.03 a litre.

That means 10 litres costs R20.30 more than before. A household buying 20 litres will pay an extra R40.60.

For a household using PMBEJD’s 350kWh electricity example and buying 20 litres of paraffin, the two increases add R122.17 to monthly energy costs.

The double increase comes even though petrol became cheaper in August.

Both 93 and 95 petrol dropped by 52 cents a litre while paraffin increased by R2.03 a litre at the maximum retail price.

Pictured above: Power lines.

Image source: Pexels