R111.6 billion threat can sink Eskom

[Shaun Jacobs]

R111.6 billion threat can sink Eskom

Eskom has warned that the R111.6 billion owed to it by municipalities threatens the company's financial sustainability and its status as a going concern.

 

[Bad Ballie]

Do a breakdown of the debt, and were it actually comes from, and how much is actually consumer debt. We need to know how this debt is constructed. As for consumer debt who just isn't paying, who is paying what is current but not able to reduce historic debt and who can't even meet current. It is easy to say increase prices or make those who do pay, pay more, but realistically it doesn't change the cycle and will eventually just move those that could pay into the can't pay brackets. Don't make the responsible customer carry the cost of the irresponsible customer but equally don't destroy the financially distressed customer who is genuinely trying to catch up, and don't allow systemic government and municipal inefficiency to become another permanent charge on the people who remain compliant.

 

[Hemi300c]

It's your cadres and unfortunately you need to start going after the premier's, mayors and managers.

Stop making the people suffer because you too corrupt to go after the corrupt cadres.

 

[MrGray]

Maybe it's time to somehow stick a remotely controllable meter in every property and just switch off anyone who doesn't pay up? Would that cost more than they'll lose in the long run? This would also allow for variable peak demand rates. I know this has been considered and there is the whole complication around municipal vs Eskom supply, but maybe it's time for a complete overhaul of how this works, along the line of other countries where the distribution is privatized and it's up to the supply company to handle end user payment regardless of where they get the power?

 

[Bad Ballie]

Maybe it's time to somehow stick a remotely controllable meter in every property and just switch off anyone who doesn't pay up? Would that cost more than they'll lose in the long run? This would also allow for variable peak demand rates. I know this has been considered and there is the whole complication around municipal vs Eskom supply, but maybe it's time for a complete overhaul of how this works, along the line of other countries where the distribution is privatized and it's up to the supply company to handle end user payment regardless of where they get the power?

This would make sense, but again, as per my post, who are you going to cut off, and what are the repercussions of that going to be. I agree cut off those who pay nothing, but it gets difficult with those that are still paying but have historic debt they are battling to reduce. Cutting off those that are still paying will result in them stopping payments, I believe that the municipalities need to be held 100% accountable for their own inefficiency and wastage first, then help rehabilitate those who are battling and get them back up to date.