Energy Saving Guide · Your supplier
Eskom or the City: who actually supplies your electricity?
Your neighbour across the road pays a different price per unit, gets an increase in a different month, and buys tokens from a different place. Same city, same street sometimes. Why?
In Tshwane, two licensed suppliers sell electricity to homes: the City of Tshwane and Eskom. Most households buy from the City, but some areas buy directly from Eskom. Your supplier decides your tariff, the month your price goes up (April for Eskom, July for the City), and who you call when something's wrong. Your account or token slip tells you which one you have.
Same city, two price lists. Your token slip tells you which one you're on.
Why there are two suppliers
NERSA licenses both the City and Eskom to supply parts of Tshwane.
Eskom generates most of South Africa's electricity and sells it in bulk to municipalities like Tshwane, which resell it to homes. But Eskom also has its own direct customers. A former Tshwane mayor said Eskom supplies areas such as Mabopane, parts of Winterveld, Ga-Rankuwa and some farm areas, while the City supplies the rest. The City's own load-shedding schedule lists "Eskom customers in Tshwane municipal area" as a separate group.
How to tell who supplies you
Check what's printed on your bill or token slip. That's the quickest way.
- Account customers: your electricity account comes from either the City of Tshwane (a municipal account that may also cover water, rates and refuse) or Eskom (an electricity-only account).
- Prepaid customers: the token slip names the supplier and the tariff. If you buy through a bank or app, the purchase screen usually shows "City of Tshwane" or "Eskom".
- Still unsure? Call Eskom on 08600 37566 with your meter number, or contact the City.
The prices are built differently
The City charges more per unit as you use more. Eskom's main home tariffs charge one rate per unit, and some add a fixed monthly charge.
City of Tshwane (2026/27, from 1 July 2026, incl. VAT, no fixed charge):
- R3.73 for the first 100 units
- R4.36 for units 101–400
- R4.75 for units 401–650
- R5.12 above 650
Eskom direct (2026/27, from 1 April 2026, incl. VAT):
- Homelight 60A (prepaid, 60 A supply): about R3.44 a unit, no fixed charge.
- Homepower 4 (single-phase up to 80 A, most Eskom-supplied houses): about R3.56 a unit plus about R544 a month in fixed charges.
On Eskom's Homepower, you pay about R544 a month before you switch anything on.
What that means at 600 units a month
These are calculated from the published rates. They're a comparison, not a recommendation to switch: you generally can't choose your supplier, because it depends on where you live.
- City of Tshwane: about R2 632
- Eskom Homepower 4: about R2 677
- Eskom Homelight 60A: about R2 062
Homelight is a limited-supply tariff meant for lower-use homes, so it isn't a like-for-like option for a house with a big load.
Interesting things about your supplier
- Two increase dates. NERSA approved an average 8.76% increase for Eskom direct customers from 1 April 2026 and 9.01% for municipalities from 1 July 2026. The two numbers differ partly because the financial years differ.
- The City's increase isn't the Eskom increase. Tshwane raised its own home tariffs by 8.8% in 2026/27.
- Eskom's fixed charges are being phased up. Under NERSA's decision, Homepower's fixed service charges rose to two-thirds of the originally proposed amount, with energy rates lowered to compensate. Low-use Homepower homes feel that the most.
How we worked out these figures
City at 600 units: 100 × R3.73 + 300 × R4.36 + 200 × R4.75 ≈ R2 632 (calculated from the unrounded rates excl. VAT × 1.15).
Homepower 4 at 600 units: 309.18c excl. VAT = R3.56 incl. VAT. 600 × R3.56 ≈ R2 133, plus fixed charges of about R544 a month (R17.86 a day incl. VAT, as reported) ≈ R2 677.
Homelight 60A at 600 units: 298.79c excl. VAT = R3.44 incl. VAT. 600 × R3.44 ≈ R2 062.
Eskom figures exclude any municipal surcharges and assume a 30-day month.
Safety: don't open your distribution board, plugs or appliance wiring yourself. Electrical work must be done by a registered electrician, who issues a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for fixed wiring.
Want a second pair of eyes? Lesedi Energy can help you read your meter data and check the electrical side of your home safely. We measure first and recommend only what's needed. Use the contact button on this page to get in touch.
Lesedi Energy: Smarter energy decisions start at home.
Sources (checked 16 Oct 2026)
- NERSA approval: 8.76% Eskom direct from 1 April 2026; 9.01% municipalities from 1 July 2026: NERSA media statement (Mar 2026): https://www.nersa.org.za/files/files/2026/03/MediaStatement-NERSAapprovesEskomRetailTariffsandStructuralAdjustmentapplicationfor2026-27.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- Homelight 60A 298.79c/kWh; fixed-charge phasing: Eskom ERTSA application, Annexure B: https://www.nersa.org.za/files/files/2026/02/AnnexureB-SubmissiontoNERSA-FY2027ERTSAApplication002.pdf (opens in a new tab) ; Eskom: https://www.eskom.co.za/distribution/2026-2027-tariff-increase/ (opens in a new tab)
- Homepower 4 309.18c/kWh and R544/month fixed (incl. VAT): Podium Energy summary of Eskom Schedule of Standard Prices 2026/27 (secondary): https://podium.energy/homes/eskom-electricity-tariffs (opens in a new tab)
- Eskom-supplied areas in Tshwane: The Citizen, Q&A with Mayor Msimanga (secondary): https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/qa-with-msimanga-nersa-has-the-power/ (opens in a new tab) ; City load-shedding groups: https://www.tshwane.gov.za/?page_id=1124 (opens in a new tab)
- Eskom contact 08600 37566: Eskom factsheet: https://www.eskom.co.za/eas/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/POOL-PUMP-AND-GEYSER-TIMER-FACTSHEET-FINAL-.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- Tshwane 2026/27 block rates (R4.75 for 401–650 units, R5.12 above 650, incl. VAT; City figures, gazette check pending): City of Tshwane: https://www.tshwane.gov.za/?p=102188 (opens in a new tab)
- All rand figures: calculated (method box above).