City Power calls off technicians disconnecting Gauteng hospitals

City Power has recalled technicians disconnecting some hospitals, including Charlotte Maxeke, to allow the City of Johannesburg and Gauteng government to resolve the payment issue.

The Johannesburg electricity utility and Gauteng government senior officials met on Thursday to resolve the issue of debt owed by provincial health institutions.

The entity was to cut off the power supply to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital on Thursday because of a R41m debt and South Rand Hospital on Friday for a R3m debt.

“The disconnection of customers over electricity debt comes as the last resort for City Power after knocking at the doors reminding the institutions of their debt obligation,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena. 

“City Power is in the ICU in terms of its revenue, with billions of rand in the red. We are hoping we will find each other on these debts, especially after the intervention by co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Mzi Khumalo and finance MEC Jacob Mamabolo.”

City Power on Tuesday told Sowetan it was owed:

• R41m by Charlotte Maxeke;
• R13m by Helen Joseph Hospital;
• R4m by Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital;
• R3m by South Rand Hospital; and
• R2.6m by Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.

The Gauteng health department said there were plans to pay its debt to City Power and in some cases debts had already been settled.

In the case of Charlotte Maxeke, the department said R32.4m had been paid to the municipality from April to September towards settling the R41m debt. It said an additional invoice of R4.9m was being finalised for payment this week.   

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