Poor management of Eskom debt set to plunge Ekurhuleni Metro into darkness, warns AfriForum
Soundbite: Nadia Olckers (English)
Soundbite: Nadia Olckers (Afrikaans)
AfriForum emphasises that the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality will have to answer for its poor financial management, which has led to the Metro’s debt to Eskom increasing to more than R3,4 billion and now threatens to plunge parts of the metro into darkness. This follows in response to an Eskom notice issued today in which the power supplier threatens to reduce or completely cut off parts of the Metro’s power supply by 16 April if Ekurhuleni’s debt to Eskom is not paid off on time.
Parts of Alberton, Boksburg North, Germiston South, and Kempton Park could potentially be left without electricity by 16 April.
According to Nadia Olckers, AfriForum district coordinator for the East Rand, loyal paying residents of this Metro should not pay the price for the Metro’s continued financial mismanagement. “It appears that the crisis regarding the Metro’s default on payments to Eskom is getting worse by the day. In February 2022, the Metro owed the power utility approximately R544 million; by October 2023, the debt had accumulated to approximately R1,5 billion; and by February 2025, it had reached R2,3 billion. This debt has now grown to more than R3,4 billion and clearly shows that the Metro’s Eskom debt is now out of control,” explains Olckers.
In a letter sent to the Metro today, AfriForum demands urgent answers on how it plans to resolve this serious crisis and prevent residents from being disadvantaged due to the Metro’s mismanagement. In the letter, the organisation demands, among other things, the following:
- an explanation of how the arrears to Eskom have accumulated;
- an implementable repayment plan with clear timelines and budgetary allocations;
- confirmation of what steps are being taken to ensure that electricity consumers who pay faithfully and critical infrastructure will be protected from any possible reduction in electricity supply;
- an explanation of what steps are being taken to prevent further escalation of municipal debt.
“Millions of residents and thousands of businesses could soon be plunged into darkness, although they are faithfully fulfilling their obligations to Eskom. To mitigate the crisis, many institutions, such as schools and hospitals, and vulnerable residents who are dependent on the power supply will have to make expensive alternative plans to function simply because the Metro cannot meet its obligations and apply sustainable management,” explains Olckers.
She further warns that power outages also pose serious safety risks for residents and businesses that require power supply for security equipment such as alarm systems, security cameras and gate motors.
“Power supply is a basic municipal service that is essential for dignity, participation in the economy, healthcare and public safety. The Metro’s failure to ensure uninterrupted power supply to residents and businesses will amount to a serious breach of the Metro’s constitutional and statutory obligations,” says Olckers.
AfriForum emphasises in its letter to the Metro that if urgent and effective measures are not implemented to protect residents’ rights and access to basic services, the organisation will, in the interest of protecting the community, consider further legal action.
