How to find the right municipal electricity tariff
A municipality can publish several electricity rates for different areas, customer groups and meter types. The right schedule is the one that matches your service address and the tariff shown on your account.
Reviewed: 10 October 2026 · Tariff schedules and effective dates can change.
Start with your latest bill
Use the supply address and tariff description on your bill or prepaid account. In some places a municipal distributor bills the customer; in others the account may be with Eskom. Do not choose a tariff solely because it is the nearest municipality or the utility most familiar to you. Follow the supplier and tariff details shown for your connection.
If the account does not make the tariff clear, contact the organisation named on the bill and ask which current schedule and customer category apply to that meter.
Match all the tariff details
Before using a published number, check each of these details in the tariff book or schedule:
- Effective period: make sure it applies to the date you are estimating.
- Customer category: residential, business and other categories can have different charges.
- Tariff name and meter type: conventional, prepaid and other tariff options may use different structures.
- Supply area: a city or municipality may have more than one distributor or service area.
- Rate structure: look for blocks, time-of-use periods, seasonal rates and separate fixed or capacity charges.
- Tax basis: note whether published amounts include VAT.
Convert the unit before calculating
An energy rate may be shown in rands per kilowatt-hour (R/kWh) or cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh). To convert cents to rands, divide by 100: 325 c/kWh equals R3.25/kWh.
Do not confuse c/kWh with c/kW. A kilowatt-hour measures energy used over time; a kilowatt measures power. A c/kW or capacity-related charge is not a per-kWh energy rate and should not be entered into the appliance calculator’s energy-rate field.
How to handle blocks and time-of-use rates
With a block tariff, the price per kWh can change as billed use crosses a threshold. With time-of-use pricing, the rate depends on when electricity is used. One flat rate cannot represent every household’s bill under these plans.
For a simple historical average, divide the energy-charge amount by the billed kWh for the same period. Keep fixed charges and other line items out of that calculation. This average can help estimate typical use, but it will not predict exactly how future usage falls into blocks or time periods.
Use official schedules and keep the source
Open the current tariff document from the supplier’s official website. Record the document year, page or tariff name, customer category, unit, tax basis and link alongside any rate you use. If a number cannot be matched confidently to your bill, enter the rate shown on your own statement or ask the supplier to confirm it.
Official tariff starting points
- Eskom Distribution tariffs and charges
- City of Cape Town electricity costs
- City of Johannesburg tariff documents
- City of Ekurhuleni tariffs
These links are starting points, not confirmation that a particular tariff applies to your address. Always verify the current schedule with the supplier.