Ramaphosa ‘has no business’ interfering with Eskom tariff hike

President Cyril Ramaphosa has no business calling on Eskom not to implement the tariff increase granted to it by the national energy regulator.

That's the view of energy analyst Tshepo Kgadima.

Over the weekend, Ramaphosa said he's asked the power utility to park the price increase until the load-shedding situation has improved. 

"It's an absurdity,” says Kgadima.

“How can a president of the country be so naive to even make such a public call, knowing full well that electricity tariff pricing is actually determined by specific legislation and hence Eskom has to make an application? How can a president make such a call to an entity that is regulated?”

Kgadima says Ramaphosa should have intervened before Eskom made the request to national energy regulator Nersa for a tariff hike.

The increase is set to kick in in April.