Emfuleni municipality owes Eskom R5.3bn despite litigation brought by the power utility since March 2018 to get the municipality to service its account.
Despite the municipality's healthy revenue collection rate of about 90% from its customers, Emfuleni still failed to pay a portion of its overdue account.
“Eskom has also served Emfuleni with further summons of R3.4bn for non-payment of its bulk electricity supply and, to date, the local authority has failed to file a plea setting out the reasons for non-payment,” Eskom said.
This resulted in Eskom and municipal customers applying to the court to transfer the municipality's electricity distribution licence or part thereof to Eskom. This application is to be heard in March next year.
Eskom said the overdue debt is affecting its liquidity, financial performance and sustainability, leaving it with no option but to borrow to meet its financial commitments.
Eskom is owed about R50bn by municipalities.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
Eskom granted order to attach Emfuleni municipality assets
Image: Freddy Mavunda /Business Day
Eskom has started taking steps to recover R1.3bn owed by the Emfuleni local municipality for electricity supplied by the power utility.
Eskom obtained a judgment from the high court in Pretoria last month against the municipality, whose main towns are Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark, after it failed to settle its account and accumulated arrears.
“The electricity generator has started execution steps against the municipality to recover some of the municipality debt, including attaching the local authority's bank accounts and movable assets,” Eskom said on Monday.
Frustrated Emfuleni ratepayers and businesses want council dissolved
Emfuleni municipality owes Eskom R5.3bn despite litigation brought by the power utility since March 2018 to get the municipality to service its account.
Despite the municipality's healthy revenue collection rate of about 90% from its customers, Emfuleni still failed to pay a portion of its overdue account.
“Eskom has also served Emfuleni with further summons of R3.4bn for non-payment of its bulk electricity supply and, to date, the local authority has failed to file a plea setting out the reasons for non-payment,” Eskom said.
This resulted in Eskom and municipal customers applying to the court to transfer the municipality's electricity distribution licence or part thereof to Eskom. This application is to be heard in March next year.
Eskom said the overdue debt is affecting its liquidity, financial performance and sustainability, leaving it with no option but to borrow to meet its financial commitments.
Eskom is owed about R50bn by municipalities.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
MORE:
Eskom complains again about Lesedi municipality's R121m arrears
Lesufi’s populism is desperate and dangerous
Eskom gets R9bn World Bank loan to repurpose Komati power station
Youth economic council slams Enoch Godongwana’s ‘anti-BEE’ law
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos