Eskom is owed over R2 billion by municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal. This was revealed by provincial Finance MEC Peggy Nkonyeni during her provincial budget speech in Pietermaritzburg on Friday.
The Finance MEC also painted a gloomy picture of non-payment of services by consumers to municipalities.
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Nkonyeni says apart from households, other culprits who are not paying for municipal services are government departments and their entities.
“In KwaZulu-Natal alone, R2.7 billion is owed to Eskom, of which R850 million is currently overdue. The delivery of services by municipalities is central to a better life for all our people and payment for services is, therefore, key and central to the attainment of this commitment. As of 31 January 2023, R35.9 billion was owed by consumers including government departments to municipalities.”
Last year during the final quarterly question and answer session in the National Assembly, President Cyril Ramaphosa said municipalities and government departments owed Eskom more than R50 billion.
He said a multi-disciplinary revenue committee was established to ensure that this debt by municipalities and other government organs to Eskom was paid.
Below is what the president said about electricity, empowerment and energy transition:
