The municipal tariff increases 2026 councils approved took effect on 1 July 2026 and run to 30 June 2027. In Johannesburg, water rose 12.5%, sanitation 11%, electricity 8.63%, refuse 6.2% and property rates 3.6%. In eThekwini, domestic water rose 12%, electricity 9%, refuse 9.5%, domestic sanitation 8% and property rates 2%. Cape Town’s regulated electricity components rose 8.55%, with water and sanitation averaging 3.9% and refuse collection 3.75%. Every one of these figures comes from a council-approved tariff document, not from a media estimate.
Approved 2026/27 residential increases, effective 1 July 2026
| Service | Johannesburg | eThekwini | Cape Town | Ekurhuleni |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 8.63% | 9% | 8.55% on regulated components | 9.01% average |
| Water | 12.5% | 12% | 3.9% average | 11% |
| Sanitation | 11% | 8% | Included in the water average | 8.35% |
| Refuse | 6.2% | 9.5% | 3.75% | 3.7% |
| Property rates | 3.6% | 2% | See note below | 2% |
Johannesburg figures are from the City’s approved tariff schedule for 2026/27. eThekwini figures are from the municipality’s council adoption statement of 29 May 2026. Cape Town figures are from Annexure 4 of the City’s 2026/27 budget documents. Confirm the current amount with your municipality before relying on it, as tariffs change annually and mid-year corrections do occur.
Why electricity leads every metro’s increase
The common driver is the bulk price municipalities pay Eskom. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa approved a 9.01% increase in Eskom’s bulk supply to municipalities from 1 July 2026, with a further 8.83% approved from 1 July 2027. That cost passes through to every household on a municipal electricity connection, which is why our earlier reporting on the Eskom tariff increase from April 2026 is the starting point for understanding this year’s municipal bills.
Metros then add their own network and distribution costs. Cape Town’s own tariff report sets out the arithmetic plainly: the 9.01% Eskom increase, a City inflation assumption of 3.4%, and a projected 1.1% drop in electricity sales volumes as more households install rooftop solar, together requiring an 8.55% increase in the regulated portion of the tariff.
That last factor matters. As solar households buy less electricity, the fixed costs of running the network are recovered from a smaller volume of sales, which pushes the rate per unit up for everyone still on the grid.
The shift to fixed charges
The bigger structural change is what you are billed before you use anything. In Cape Town, the Home User electricity service and wires charge rises from R339.89 to R368.96 a month excluding VAT for 2026/27, which is about R424 including VAT. The Domestic tariff carries a smaller service and wires charge of R65.02 a month on a credit meter, or R2.14 a day on prepaid.
These are monthly charges that do not fall when consumption falls. A household that installs solar, cuts geyser use or goes away for a month still pays them in full. Across the metros, the proportion of the bill made up of fixed and availability charges has been growing, which is the part that undercuts the usual advice to simply use less.
Johannesburg withdrew a proposed R200 flat monthly charge on residential prepaid electricity after public objection, so that particular fixed cost did not land this year. The City’s water tariff still runs on an increasing block structure, with the first 6 kilolitres a month free and higher blocks charged progressively.
Cape Town’s charges were restructured by a court ruling
This is the change most coverage has not caught up with. Cape Town had linked its fixed water, sanitation and city-wide cleaning charges to property values. The Western Cape High Court ruled that structure unlawful, and the City reopened public comment on budget amendments in late May 2026, weeks before the financial year began.
The result from 1 July 2026 is that fixed water and sanitation charges revert to being based on water meter size rather than property value, and the separate city-wide cleaning charge falls away as a standalone line and is funded from property rates instead.
If you are comparing your Cape Town bill against last year’s, or against any article written before June 2026, the line items will not match. The total may be similar while the structure underneath it has changed entirely.
Why municipalities keep raising above inflation
Councils point to bulk input costs from Eskom and the water boards, and to collection rates. Johannesburg lowered its projected revenue collection rate to 86% when tabling its R97.1 billion budget for 2026/27, and the City has acknowledged an infrastructure backlog running to tens of billions of rand.
The financial strain is not confined to one metro. National Treasury has been withholding transfers from municipalities that fail to meet conditions, as set out in our reporting on Treasury withholding funds from municipalities, and Johannesburg’s own finances have drawn direct intervention, covered in our piece on the Treasury response to Johannesburg’s wage deal.
Water infrastructure is a large part of the picture. Bulk supplier increases feed straight into municipal water tariffs, which is why water outpaced almost every other line item in Johannesburg and eThekwini this year, and it sits inside the broader problem described in our coverage of the deepening South African water crisis.
Common problems on the July bill
Your bill jumped more than the headline percentage. The percentage applies to a tariff, not to your bill. If your consumption rose, if you moved into a higher block, or if a fixed charge was restructured, the rand increase will exceed the headline figure.
Your property rates went up despite a low percentage. Rates are the rate in the rand multiplied by your municipal valuation. A new general valuation can raise your bill even when the rate in the rand falls.
Cape Town line items changed names. The city-wide cleaning charge was folded into property rates from 1 July 2026, and fixed water and sanitation charges moved back to meter size.
You are on the wrong electricity tariff. In Cape Town the Home User and Domestic tariffs suit different consumption levels, and the cheaper option depends on how much you use. Check which one your account is on.
Frequently asked questions
When did the 2026 municipal tariff increases start?
1 July 2026. They apply for the 2026/27 municipal financial year, ending 30 June 2027.
How much did Johannesburg water go up in 2026?
12.5%, alongside 11% for sanitation and 8.63% for electricity.
How much did eThekwini increase tariffs?
Domestic water 12%, electricity 9%, refuse 9.5%, domestic sanitation 8% and property rates 2%, after the council revised its original proposals down.
Why is my bill high even when I use nothing?
Fixed monthly charges for electricity network access, water and sanitation availability and refuse do not fall with consumption.
Can I dispute my municipal bill?
Yes. Every metro has a formal billing query and dispute process, and the Municipal Systems Act requires municipalities to have one. Lodge it in writing and keep the reference number.
Where do I find the official tariffs?
Each metro publishes an approved tariff schedule on its own website. Johannesburg publishes it under Tariffs on joburg.org.za, Cape Town in the budget annexures, and eThekwini through durban.gov.za.
What to watch
Draft 2027/28 budgets are usually tabled between March and May 2027, with public comment closing before adoption in late May, and new tariffs from 1 July 2027. NERSA has already approved an 8.83% Eskom bulk increase for municipalities from that date, so electricity will again set the floor. Cape Town’s restructured water and sanitation charges may face further legal scrutiny, and any new general valuation roll in your metro can change your rates bill independently of the percentage increase.
