The power utility has vowed to disconnect 14 municipalities across the country as it attempts to recover more than $5.92 billion owed in unpaid electricity bills.
SALGA says while it recognises the seriousness of the municipal debt problem, Eskom’s approach will cause far more harm than good. Nhlanhla Ngidi, the organisation’s Executive for Energy and Electricity, said many municipalities are facing severe revenue‑collection challenges, leaving them unable to keep up with payments.
“Eskom is going to cut off people, cut off municipalities, will never bring any money,” Ngidi said. “It will just exert pain, exert more anger on the public, on Eskom and on municipalities. And now we still have to beg these people to pay for services we render to them.”
He added that customer frustration is rising in many communities where unreliable service delivery makes it difficult for residents to justify paying municipal bills. “If I were a customer and I am not getting what I should be getting for my money, it would be hard for me to make that decision also,” he said.
Several municipalities across SA have battled years of mismanagement, declining payment levels, ageing infrastructure and shrinking local economies. Eskom has repeatedly warned that mounting arrears threaten its financial sustainability and undermine its recovery efforts.
–SABC/ChannelAfrica–
