Every token purchase must come with a receipt or slip that clearly shows the amount you paid, the units (kWh) you received, any fixed monthly charges deducted, any debt recovery deductions, and the vendor fee (if applicable).

Your electricity rate must not exceed the NERSA-approved tariff for your area and tariff category. No supplier, whether a municipality, Eskom, or a sub-meter company may charge above this rate.

Registered indigent (low-income) households are entitled to free electricity each month typically 50 kWh nationally, and 65 kWh in eThekwini. You must register with your municipality or Eskom to receive this.

If a vendor or kiosk charges a service fee on municipal tokens, they must disclose it to you before the transaction is completed. For Eskom Direct tokens, no fee may be charged at all.

If your municipality is recovering debt through deductions on your prepaid meter, you have the right to request a formal payment arrangement. A structured arrangement typically reduces the deduction percentage.

If you believe your prepaid meter is faulty or recording incorrectly, you can request a meter accuracy test from your supplier. If the meter is found to be faulty, the supplier bears the cost and you may be entitled to a billing correction.

Your electricity may not be disconnected without proper written notice and an opportunity to respond. Disconnecting supply while a formal dispute is in progress may also be unlawful.

If your electricity is supplied through a private sub-meter, the rate charged may not exceed the applicable municipal retail tariff. The sub-meter provider must hold a valid NERSA licence. Body corporate levies may not be loaded onto your prepaid meter.

Eskom's programme rules explicitly prohibit vendors from charging consumers any service fee on Eskom Direct prepaid tokens. Vendors are compensated by Eskom directly.

The Electricity Regulation Act prohibits the resale of electricity above the approved tariff rate. This applies to all resellers, sub-meter companies, and landlords.

Only the relevant municipality may recover municipal debt through your prepaid electricity meter. A landlord, body corporate, estate manager, or private sub-meter company may not load rent arrears, levies, maintenance fees, or any non-municipal debt onto your meter.

Electricity may not be disconnected arbitrarily. The law requires prior written notice and an opportunity to respond. Cutting supply while a formal dispute is in progress may constitute unlawful conduct.

Any electricity supplier or sub-meter operator must be able to provide a written breakdown of the rate being charged and all fees applied, upon request. Refusal is a serious indicator of an unlicensed or non-compliant operation.

Any entity reselling or distributing electricity must hold a valid NERSA electricity distribution or reseller licence. You can request this licence number in writing at any time.