South Africans are facing higher electricity bills even though the country experiences fewer power cuts than in previous years. The National Energy Regulator approves electricity tariff increases that take effect despite improved reliability, which has led many residents to question why costs are rising when outages are less frequent. The issue centers on how regulated pricing is set and applied to consumer tariffs. While fewer power cuts can reduce the need for emergency backup power and other short-term disruptions, tariff adjustments can still increase monthly costs through approved rates for electricity supply. The reporting highlights that consumers see the end of frequent outages as progress, yet their bills increase due to decisions by the regulator rather than directly tied to outage frequency. Overall, the situation reflects a mismatch between perceived service improvement and the timing or structure of tariff changes, leaving customers concerned about the drivers of pricing despite less frequent interruptions.