-by Newsbreak's Taresh Harreeparshad. 

Consumer inflation jumped to 4% in April, up from 3.1% in March. ​This marks the highest inflation leap since August 2024. It means you, as the consumer, will have to pay more for the things you used to.

But municipalities are now proposing tariff increases in the double-digit range.

Ethekwini Municipality in particular has proposed an electricity tariff increase is 10.5% for business and residential consumers. For water: the proposed tariff increase is 16% for business and 15% for residential consumers. Sanitiation proposals are 14% for business and 13% for residential consumers.

How are consumers going to afford this?

We spoke to Asad Gaffar, Chairperson EThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement and economist John Loos...