Online Prepaid Electricity for eThekwini Municipality
- Powertime
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
Online Prepaid Electricity for eThekwini Municipality
In eThekwini, electricity tariffs are reviewed annually and set according to guidelines from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) and the City’s own budget process. For the 2025/26 financial year, the municipality approved a general electricity tariff increase of around 12.72 %, keeping electricity pricing in line with rises in bulk costs charged by Eskom.
Residents with prepaid electricity meters are charged per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for their usage. The system may include inclined blocks or a lifeline rate for lower consumption. Unlike some metros, eThekwini often does not apply a separate fixed monthly service charge for most residential prepaid customers — meaning you are charged mainly based on the electricity units you buy.
Customers supplied by eThekwini Municipality can buy prepaid electricity through approved online and third-party electricity vending platforms such as Powertime (Pty) LTD.
Accepted Payment Methods on Powertime include the following:
• Debit/Credit cards
• Instant EFT
• Wallet and EFT payments
Once you complete your payment, you’ll receive a token number that you use to top up your prepaid meter.
You can also download and purchase via Powertime's Mobile app.
What Is a Monthly vs Daily Tariff?
Monthly Tariff
A monthly tariff (also called a fixed or service charge) is a set amount billed each month to recover basic provision costs — such as maintaining infrastructure, meter reading, billing and administrative processes — regardless of how much electricity you buy. Even if you don’t load tokens in a month, you may still incur this charge.
Daily Tariff
Some municipalities break the monthly service charge into daily amounts. When you purchase prepaid electricity, part of your payment is first applied to cover the daily service amounts until the month’s full-service charge is paid, and only then goes toward buying electricity units. For example, a R90 monthly service fee might translate into about R3 per day. Buying tokens early in the month could result in more of your purchase going toward actual electricity units once the daily charges are covered.
eThekwini Prepaid Electricity Tariff
The table below summarises typical unit rates (per kWh) used for residential prepaid electricity in eThekwini — based on the latest known municipal tariff data and billing summaries:
Tariff Category | Rate (R per kWh) |
Residential Prepaid (0 – 500 kWh) | ~R2.97 / kWh |
Residential Prepaid (501 + kWh) | ~R3.42 / kWh |
Lifeline / Low Usage (e.g., up to ~350 kWh) | ~R1.60 / kWh* |
Where to Find Official Tariff Details
For full and exact eThekwini Municipality tariff schedules, including any fixed charges, lifeline thresholds, and block definitions, residents should refer to the electricity tariff booklet on the City’s official website under the “Tariffs Book 2025 – 2026.
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