27/06/2026
ESKOM’S BIGGEST WARNING IS NOW BECOMING A REALITY SOUTH AFRICANS ARE LEAVING THE GRID
For years, South Africans complained about rising electricity costs, load shedding, and poor service delivery. Now, a warning made by former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter appears to be unfolding before our eyes.
De Ruyter warned in 2023 that Eskom was heading toward a financial “death spiral” a situation where electricity prices keep increasing while more customers stop buying power from Eskom.
The numbers now suggest that trend is accelerating.
📌 Household electricity prices have surged by more than 400% since 2008.
📌 The average effective household electricity price increased from 44 cents per kWh in 2008 to over R2.25 per kWh in 2025.
📌 Despite households paying significantly more, electricity consumption has dropped by nearly 18% over the same period.
📌 Household electricity sales fell from 10,423 GWh to 8,559 GWh.
📌 Between January and May 2026, national electricity demand was lower than during the same period in 2025.
One of the biggest reasons behind this shift is the rapid growth of solar power.
According to Statistics South Africa, homes with solar panels increased from just over 200,000 in 2019 to nearly 700,000 in 2025. More South Africans are choosing to generate their own electricity instead of relying entirely on Eskom.
Experts warn that this creates a difficult situation for the power utility. As more paying customers leave the grid, Eskom collects less revenue from electricity sales. To cover its costs and debt, tariffs may continue rising, which could push even more customers toward solar and alternative energy solutions.
Economist Dawie Roodt says Eskom remains burdened by massive debt and operational inefficiencies, making it difficult for the utility to reduce prices.
The concern is that if the trend continues, Eskom could increasingly rely on a shrinking pool of customers while still carrying the enormous costs of maintaining South Africa’s electricity infrastructure.
The question many South Africans are now asking is simple: Is solar becoming a necessity rather than a luxury?
What do you think is the biggest reason people are moving away from Eskom high prices, fear of load shedding, or better alternatives?
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