Eskom suspends power interruption notice against City of Joburg and City Power

Joburg residents can breath a sigh of relief, after Eskom suspended a potential power interruption notice against the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and City Power.

Eskom last month served a notice of intention to interrupt the power supply to Joburg and City Power at certain predetermined times of the day.

Suspension

The parastatal on Monday said it suspended its Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) notice of potential power interruption to allow the Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s process undertaken by an independent expert regarding alleged historical overbilling to be concluded.

Eskom said CoJ and/or City Power currently owe the utility R4.9 billion, excluding a current account of an additional R1.4 billion, which became due and payable at the end of November 2024.

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Agreement

After intervention Ramokgopa, the City of Joburg agreed to pay R1.4 billion of its outstanding bill to Eskom by the end of November.

Ramokgopa also met Joburg Mayor Dada Morero and executives from the city of Joburg , City Power and Eskom where an agreement was reached that an independent expert would be appointed to undertake a process to look into the disputed alleged overbilling in the circa of R3.4 billion by 25 November.

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said this deadline was subsequently extended to 6 December 2024 for the report to be delivered to Ramokgopa.

Report

“Eskom continues to fully support the process. The CoJ and City Power were expected to pay R1.4 billion for the September 2024 invoice which was withheld in order for Eskom to suspend the PAJA notice. The CoJ and CP have paid Eskom R1.3 billion which is short of the agreed R1.4 billion.

“The October 2024 invoice of R1.3 billion that was due to be paid by Friday 29 November 2024 remains unpaid at this time. CoJ and City Power have committed to make a further payment by Friday 6 December 2024, towards the debt,” Mokwena said.

Following the submission of the independent report, Mokwena said Eskom will await for a report from Ramokgopa of the findings from the independent expert.

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