A number of national and provincial government departments operating within the City of Mbombela Municipality have put pressure on its ability to pay its Eskom debt by failing to repay R60.4 million for water and electricity services.
This is according to a letter written to Eskom by City of Mbombela Executive Mayor, Cllr Sibusiso Mathonsi, where he was responding to the power utility after its decision to interrupt the supply of bulk electricity to Mbombela.
The R60.4 million owed to Mbombela comprises the following departments:
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• Provincial Department of Public Works (R6.5 million)
• Provincial Department of Health (R3.9 million)
• National Department of Public Works (R5 million for electricity services and R15 million for property rates)
• National Department of Rural Development and land Reform (R30 million for property rates)
Not only do residents of the municipality have to live with the consequences of financial mismanagement in Mbombela, they also have to bear the brunt of provincial and national departments taking advantage of poor controls within the municipality.
The Mayor stated in his report that he will liaise with the Provincial Legislature, asking them to call on Mpumalanga Premier, David Mabuza to intervene in the matter and ensure that all provincial and national departments honour their debt to the City of Mbombela.
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