The most exposed sectors include manufacturing, food processing, cold-chain logistics, mining, chemicals, water infrastructure and other energy-intensive industries that support essential supply chains.
Energy costs continue to rise despite South Africa largely moving beyond the prolonged periods of load shedding that characterised recent years.
This is placing additional pressure on businesses already facing higher operating and logistics expenses.
In March 2026, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) approved electricity tariff increases of 8.76% for Eskom direct customers and 9.01% for municipal customers for the 2026/27 financial year, further increasing costs for businesses.
For procurement and supply chain leaders, the challenge in 2026 is no longer simply maintaining operations during scheduled power outages.
