By Itumeleng Motsamai
The implementation of Eskom’s national price increase in electricity of 8,76% across South Africa on 1 April, led to the Stellenbosch Municipality’s larger increase of 10,71% from 1 July, as a result of Eskom’s national price increase.
For many students at Stellenbosch University (SU) who live in private accommodation with prepaid electricity meters, the increase in electricity prices has an impact on their average cost of living in Stellenbosch.
Eskom implemented a national price increase of electricity across South Africa on 1 April, impacting SU students recently living in private accommodation. (Sourced: Cara Ewing/Minneapolis Fed)
“It feels so shocking to see that the amount of units I’m getting now is nowhere near the units I was getting when I first got to Stellenbosch,” says Charissa Manhanga, a third-year BA (Sport Science) student who has lived in private accommodation throughout the duration of her studies at SU.
Manhanga explained that, in her flat unit, each member pays a fixed monthly amount, but they recently had to increase their contributions as their usual amount no longer lasts them the entire month.
With winter underway, electricity usage typically increases as people tend to use heating systems and hot water for longer periods of time. It is evident that students need to account for not only the nationwide increase in price, but also their increase in overall electricity usage.
Amber Philips, a third-year BA (Language and Culture) student, shared that she splits the cost of electricity between herself and her roommate. Philips says the increase in electricity price each month weighs heavily as “there is no one to fall back on when the units are running out, besides us”. She further commented that she “never understood just how expensive electricity was until [she] got to university and saw for myself”.
“I feel like I’m buying electricity every week at this rate,” says Vuyisa Felix Mpahlwa, a third-year BSc (Chemical Biology) student. He shares that this price increase is the reason why his weekly budget has been “more limited these past few weeks” and it has resulted in him asking his parents more often for help covering electricity costs.
Electricity remains a demanding expense in the overall cost of student living for those off-campus. Manhanga described the reality of managing these costs, saying, “When you have a fixed allowance, but the amount of electricity goes up, you have no choice but to take that money from your personal needs because electricity is non-negotiable, especially when you’re sharing a space with other people.”
