Years ago, Ireland’s minister of energy was interviewed on their national broadcaster about a possible nuclear fallout from Sellafield power station. The interviewer wanted to know what steps Irish people should take should catastrophe hit.

The Minister was clearly unprepared and kept referring to iodine tablets and a leaflet that would “in due course be sent to every household”. The interview became more and more absurd. At some stage, a listener sent in a text which read: “Sometimes in this country I think we should just put our heads between our legs and kiss our arses goodbye.”

I thought about this text when I read reports that Eskom is proposing a new tariff structure. Apparently, if NERSA accepts the proposal, it would significantly increase the unit costs to those who use less electricity (below 900KW per month) whilst decrease the cost to the big users (over a 1000KW per month). In addition, they want to impose a R938 per month surcharge for solar users.

Excuse my language, but “ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?”

So, the people who can’t generate enough electricity to keep the lights on now have come up with a “genius” plan to punish those who use less electricity - old people, single parents and those living in informal settlements - and reward those with the big houses who use electricity like the sun might go out of business.  In addition, instead of incentivising or subsidising those who are installing solar, they want to punish them too by charging them a penalty.

Have you guys lost your minds?

Perhaps this is annoying me more than usual because I am one of those people who use less than 900KW per month. Through being super careful with my electricity use, I use about 600KW. I also have just taken money from my mortgage to pay a substantial deposit for a solar installation.

I decided to install solar not because it makes financial sense. Even before the proposed “penalty” from Eskom, it will take me more than 10 years before getting any financial benefit, by which stage I would have to replace the batteries again.

I also didn’t decide to get it because of loadshedding. Between my gas hob for cooking, camping lamps and battery for the internet, I can cope with the inconvenience.

I decided to install solar because I believe that it is the right thing to do.

Firstly, there is the environmental impact: in South Africa, we have dirty electricity. As we all know now, coal-generated power contributes significantly to climate change – which will affect all of us, but most of all, the poorest of the poor. The resultant air pollution also results in an enormous health hazards for those who live close to these power stations. In addition, it goes against all the climate conventions we have signed and the targets we have to meet in the foreseeable future.

Secondly, I strongly believe that those of us who can afford it should do what we can to alleviate pressure on the grid, so that energy can be provided to those who can’t afford these measures.

The government should, of course, have taken their heads out of the sand years ago and moved on green energy.  If they had done so there would be no need for individual solar installations, but as it stands we will not have significant alternative energy capacity for a few years.

I understand Eskom has a revenue problem. However, to think that this is the way of getting relief is totally illogical. How can you penalise those who are using less energy - either because they can’t afford to pay more or by trying to do the right thing - whilst numerous municipalities are not paying the billions they owe Eskom? 

Most importantly, why penalise those who use less, when you don’t have enough capacity? It really is some serious arseway thinking (to quote the Irish again).

I really hope that sanity will prevail and this proposal will be rejected with the contempt it deserves.

People in this country can’t take much more.

The poor are suffering enormously because of increases in food and petrol prices. The middle classes and tax payers are stretched to capacity.

We have tolerated the cold and dark over the last few weeks, but it won’t take much more to make us all snap.