Eskom's tariff increase application is 'an emergency situation'. Manufacturing industry tells Nersa they will have to fight to keep their doors open.

"I am here to fight for jobs," Autocast chief executive and board member of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber Dave Mertens said on Wednesday as he detailed the reasons organised business in the metro decided to oppose an application for an increase of 36.15% submitted by Eskom to the national energy regulator.

Mertens was speaking at Nersa's public hearings to discuss the increase application by Eskom. Consumers also face additional increases in municipal tariffs that could see electricity prices rise by up to 44%.

Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber CEO Denise van Huyssteen said the proposal by Eskom is for electricity tariffs to increase in the 2025/26 financial year by 43.55% for municipalities, and follows two decades of much higher than inflation-related increases in electricity tariffs.

"The Chamber is opposing this increase, which is looking for around R300-billion income through the imposition of electricity tariffs at an above inflation rate for the next three years. Transferring these costs

to businesses and consumers is simply unsustainable," she said.

"This application makes electricity unaffordable for most," Mertens said.

He said they disagree with Eskom's stance that their electricity prices...