Windhoek electricity tariffs rise 3.9% amid criticism
Adjustment necessary to maintain a secure supply, City says
The All People's Party (APP) has warned that the price hike will increase pressure on residents already buckling under a cost-of-living crisis.
Windhoek residents will face higher electricity costs after the City of Windhoek confirmed an average 3.9% tariff increase, effective 1 August.The municipality said the increase had been approved by the Electricity Control Board (ECB) in line with the Electricity Act of 2007. According to the City, the adjustment was necessary to ensure a reliable electricity supply.
“This adjustment is necessary to maintain a secure, reliable and high-quality electricity supply for all residents," the municipality announced in a recent statement.
"While we strive to keep electricity affordable, these changes are vital to ensure that our infrastructure can meet the growing needs of our community.”
The City also acknowledged delays in communicating the new tariffs, citing the ECB’s withholding of final approval pending “the submission of certain outstanding information.”
Hike condemned
The All People’s Party (APP) has slammed the increase, accusing regulators of failing to protect consumers during tough economic times.
The party said it is "deeply disturbed" by the tariff hikes.
“These increases come at a time when Namibians are already struggling under harsh economic conditions, high unemployment, escalating food prices, and stagnant wages," APP secretary general Venitus Marius Goraseb said in a statement.
"The decision to burden consumers further with higher electricity costs raises serious questions about the relevance and effectiveness of Namibia’s regulatory authorities, particularly the Electricity Control Board (ECB), electricity distributors, and local councils," he added.
Goraseb argued that the ECB had drifted from its original mandate of safeguarding consumers.
“Instead of acting as a shield for ordinary citizens, the ECB and related institutions appear to have become complicit in policies that deepen inequality and worsen the standard of living for the majority,” Goraseb charged.
The APP called for a comprehensive review of the ECB’s operations, greater transparency in tariff structures, and an immediate freeze on further hikes until economic conditions improve.
Activist alleges misuse of funds
Community activist Shaun Gariseb also weighed in, questioning both the ECB’s transparency and the City’s spending priorities.
He claimed that electricity revenue is being used to fund what he described as lavish subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances for senior municipal officials and vowed to release proof of his allegations.
Gariseb also accused the ECB of secrecy and of ignoring its own directive of 29 November 2024, which prohibited the City from linking electricity disconnections to unpaid water bills.