TCLM has astounding Eskom arrears of R1b divided between its three main towns, Graskop, Sabie and Lydenburg.
eMalahleni has the highest outstanding debt with R5.9b, and Govan Mbeki (Secunda) has R2.9b outstanding. The City of Mbombela is fourth on the list with a debt of R770m.
According to Sikonathi Mantshantsha, the national spokesperson for Eskom, TCLM’s non-payment jeopardises its ability to supply electricity.
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Collin Reddy, Eskom’s general manager of the distribution division in the province, said these municipalities’ debt is threatening the supply of electricity to residents.
“Eskom cannot continue to maintain its infrastructure and supply electricity for free. These municipalities receive government grants as well as payment for services rendered by their loyal customers. However, Eskom remains unpaid for the electricity consumed by these municipalities,” Reddy said.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News readers were outraged when they were asked their opinion regarding the nearly billion-rand Eskom debt on Facebook:
• “The only solution is for us to pay Eskom directly because our municipality will continue looting the money. Cut out the municipality once and for all,” wrote KayVans Manelavo.
• “Let us buy directly from Eskom. We pay a tonne for electricity and house owner fees, but for what? So the people in top positions can loot our hard-earned money, and now we as residents must suffer because of them being incompetent? It doesn’t seem fair to me at all,” wrote Zeldalee van Schalkwyk.
• “We can complain all we want, but these people still get away with it at the end of the day,” wrote PeterMosilo Modiba.
• “Will anyone who knows enlighten me on how the debt could accumulate to this much, yet we are using prepaid electricity?” wrote Mqeldelwa Ngwenya.
• “Farming communities have to pay R2 000 a month for fees unannounced to us before we can start buying any prepaid electricity for the month. This is absolutely absurd. The whole country is in debt and the consumers have to pay for their faults and still don’t make a liveable wage,” wrote Pippie Potgieter.
