Three municipalities in South Africa face losing all electricity

[Luis]

Three municipalities in South Africa face losing all electricity

Three municipalities could see their power cut off by Eskom, unless they enter into an arrangement to settle their outstanding municipal debts.

This comes after Eskom initiated Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) processes against 14 non-paying municipalities in March 2026.

 

[Herr der Verboten]

Shocking

 

[Neuk_]

 

[ThinkCentre]

If Eskom is not allowed to cut the power to a municipality, they will not survive! The municipalities could simply stop paying the bill.

 

[konfab]

While AfriForum conceded that DAAs offered a more viable solution, it said Eskom had not given municipalities enough time to carry out the legally required feasibility studies and public participation processes.

Really Afriforum? What exactly is there to discuss about this or study?

The threat should be from national and provincial government. Sign the DAA or you are going into administration.

I mean unless they want Eskom and the SA government to go bankrupt.

 

[porchrat]

Cut them off. Let them collapse. Spending all the money on blue lambos.

 

[wingnut771]

How is this different compared to the last time they cut off a muni, then the courts said that's illegal, and they haven't done it since?

 

[Superjakes]

If I can't recognise a town based on its new name, it's on me. I cannot be expected to recognise towns based on what their municipalities are called, though, can I?

 

[ToxicBunny]

The solution should ultimately be very simple.

The municipalities must be forced to hand over their distribution networks, and all accounts to Eskom and Eskom manages everything from there. The value of the accounts and infrastructure is then offset against the debt.

Then no end user gets cut off because the municipality is unable to manage its responsibilities.

 

[Skerminkel]

Well, at least the voters in Robert Sobukwe Town have their dignity back. They won't have power or water or jobs or food, but they will have their dignity. A loota continua.

 

[Bad Ballie]

Bottom line here is that either you pay or you get cut off, there is no alternative. Municipalities that cannot run their accounts need to have the incumbent parties removed and replaced with ones able to run a balance sheet. The culture of 'free everything' and non-payment must be ended, even if it means turning those locations into ghost towns, as people leave to better run areas. I am not responsible for other people's self-imposed misery.

 

[Hemi300c]

So non-payment by municipalities could become the paying residents problem.

Why are the mayors and executive still in that municipality if they are collecting the money but not paying it over. That is fraud and theft and should be handled as such.