If it ain’t broke … but what if it is?

THE PHRASE “If it ain't broke, don’t fix it” was first coined by Thomas Bertram Lance. And with a name like that, he must have been a really wise man. (Insert tongue in cheek)

But what happens when something is broken, and instead of fixing it, you keep pretending it works? That’s where the 'Dead Horse Theory' comes in.

According to the wisdom of the Dakota Indians, when you realise that you're riding a dead horse, the best thing to do is dismount. Simple, right? That’s wisdom. But the Dead Horse Theory goes in the other direction.

People often do the opposite of just getting off the dead horsey. Instead of accepting the obvious, they try everything else – buying a new saddle, improving the horse’s diet, swapping the rider, or even redefining what “dead” means.

Now, while I was thinking of the poor dead steed, I recently read an article saying that Eskom wants to change how electricity bills work.

Another article suggests that Eskom aims to make it more expensive for people with solar panels or those who use less power. Their plan? Higher fixed daily charges – so some customers will pay more, no matter how little electricity they use. Their reasoning? They say that they need to recover lost revenue as more South Africans generate their own power.

Let that sink in.

Because Eskom failed to provide reliable electricity – forcing people to spend their own money on solar to keep the lights on – Eskom now wants to penalise them for using less of its unreliable service.

Their argument is the opposite of brilliant. They reason that solar users still rely on the grid at night, creating extra costs. But there’s more: the increased billing plan aims to make Eskom’s electricity more “attractive” than self-generation.

Huh?

All I am saying is that if Eskom had been doing its job in the first place, nobody would have needed solar panels. People would have been spending their hard-earned cash on Easter eggs, fast food, and Wi-Fi – not on back-up power solutions.

The thing is, if this plan is approved, low-usage households will see massive increases – even those using no electricity could pay 300% more, while moderate users might see hikes of 130%. Meanwhile, some heavy electricity users could actually pay less.

As one acquaintance of mine put it, if they could completely disconnect from Eskom, they would. And that’s the irony – by trying to squeeze more out of struggling customers, Eskom may push even more people toward full independence, deepening its financial crisis.

It’s like buying a new saddle for a dead horse – when the real solution seems to be to get off and find a new ride.