Eskom vs Joburg: city hits back at disconnection threat

A threat by Eskom to begin cutting electricity supply to Johannesburg over the city’s debt to the electricity utility has been met with an angry response.

In a joint statement late on Thursday night, the City of Johannesburg and its electricity supply utility, City Power, described Eskom’s move as “unjust, counterproductive and potentially harmful to residents and businesses”.

Eskom said in a statement on Thursday that it had written to the city, informing it that it would commence cutting power soon if the city did not settle its debt of R4.9-billion (plus R1.4-billion that will fall due at the end of this month).

We are committed to ensuring uninterrupted access to electricity for the people of Johannesburg

The power will be interrupted at “certain pre-determined times of day in accordance with the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (Paja)”, Eskom said.

“Despite all the avenues that Eskom explored and efforts to accommodate the CoJ, the matter has reached a point where Eskom can simply no longer afford to accommodate the city without putting further financial strain on and harming its own business,” the state-owned electricity utility said.

“A final decision on whether Eskom will proceed with the interruption will be communicated after a review of the representations received through the Paja process on 12 December 2024.”

But Joburg and City Power have now hit back at Eskom, saying they are “deeply concerned” by its announcement.

‘Legal recourse’

“The CoJ has consistently demonstrated its commitment to meeting its financial obligations and has engaged with Eskom to address billing issues. However, Eskom has failed to provide clarity on disputed billing charges, forcing the city to seek legal recourse to protect the rights and interests of its citizens,” a statement said.

“Contrary to Eskom’s claims, there are ongoing disputes regarding overbilling of over R3.4-billion, with a pending appeal and monthly declarations since July 2024. The city has repeatedly raised concerns about this continued overbilling, which Eskom has failed to address, placing additional strain on the city’s resources.”

Read: Joburg accuses councillors of ‘spreading lies’ on solar installations

“We are committed to ensuring uninterrupted access to electricity for the people of Johannesburg,” said the city’s chief financial officer, Tebogo Moraka, in the statement. “We urge Eskom to retract its public notice and engage in genuine, good-faith negotiations to resolve these matters constructively.”

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