Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is in possession of a letter (see attached) from the Chairperson of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), Thembani Bukula, which amounts to a stunning admission of gross incompetence and wrongdoing in the catastrophic R54 billion tariff bungle that will see South Africans pay billions more for electricity.
In the letter, sent in response to a DA demand for answers, NERSA’s Chairperson concedes to multiple, shocking errors in its calculations. While attempting to downplay the failure by blaming a “clerical error” and a “version control issue,” the regulator has been forced to admit in writing that a “remedial process has been initiated with the aim of ascertaining the origin of the errors and where appropriate, consequence management process will ensue to warrant accountability on this matter.”
This is an unambiguous admission that there are individuals within the regulator who must be held accountable for this costly failure. “Consequence management” is not a suggestion; it is an absolute necessity. The DA will not rest until the officials responsible for imposing this R54 billion tax on the public are identified, exposed, and appropriate measures taken to sanction them. It is simply unacceptable that ordinary consumers are forced to pay for the ineptitude of state officials who continue to draw a salary.
As a direct result of the DA’s intervention and our formal demand to Parliament, we can confirm that NERSA has been summoned to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Energy and Electricity on Wednesday, 10 September 2025. This is a crucial first step in holding the regulator to account in public.
During this session, the DA will not be satisfied with flimsy excuses. We will demand clear and direct answers:
- Who specifically is being investigated in this “remedial process”?
- What is the exact timeline for the “consequence management” promised by the Chairperson?
- Why did NERSA not identify its own multi-billion rand “errors” as part of its verification processes before Eskom took them to court?
The letter from NERSA is a victory for transparency and a testament to the DA’s relentless pressure. But it is only the beginning. The DA will use the parliamentary hearing next week to ensure that this promise of accountability is more than just empty words. The South African public cannot be used as an ATM to fund the incompetence of Eskom and NERSA. We will fight to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and that the public is protected from this kind of regulatory failure ever again.
Regards
Kevin Mileham MP
DA Spokesperson for Electricity and Energy