Eskom debt… Mbombela next to go off

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Eskom debt... Mbombela to go off
FESTIVE BY CANDLELIGHT: Could be the case in the capital city if the municipality cannot resolve the R100m debt owed to Eskom. IMAGE: SABC.

Barely few weeks after power cuts were announced in Secunda yet another area finds itself in  trouble.


Eskom has announced it will cut power to homes in Mbombela due to money owed to them by the municipality.

It said the Mbombela local municipality failed to pay what is due to the entity – an amount of R150 million which has been increasing since last year September.

It announced power cuts will occur in the area from 19 November 2017 if nothing comes forward and that residents should embrace themselves for the dark.

In a noticed published by the state power utility on Thursday it said R152 359 093 is owed.

“City of Mbombela local municipality’s breach of its payment obligation to Eskom undermines and places in jeopardy Eskom’s ability to continue the national supply of electricity on a financially sustainable basis,” it read.

This comes less than a week after Premier David Mabuza summoned all mayors of municipalities that have challenges with settling their Eskom accounts in order to find a lasting solution on the matter.

The premier order all government departments [both provincial and national] which are owing the municipalities to settle their accounts.

“Running a municipality and selling electricity is a business, if you do not pay your service providers, they will not trust you and you will have a credibility problem. Eskom is a business, it cannot give electricity for free,” said Mabuza.

The following areas of Mbombela will be affected:

1. Nelsrivier,

2. Delta,

3. Mbombela Stadium,

4. Barberton

5. White River

(edited by ZK)

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