South Africa’s capital racks up R635 million Eskom bill — why it hasn’t paid

Eskom’s claim that the City of Tshwane owes the power utility R635 million is “somewhat disingenuous”, according to the city’s chief of staff, Jordan Griffiths.
“The nature of Eskom’s communication with the city was somewhat disingenuous because the city’s bill with Eskom is R635 million, and that is the current account,” he told eNCA.
“In other words, it’s the January bill.”
Griffiths explained that Eskom bills the City of Tshwane on the 17th of the month and expects payment on the 18th.
“The City’s bill with Eskom was up to date by the end of December, so it’s not actually historical debt.”
Representatives of the City of Tshwane met with Eskom on Tuesday, 25 January.
“The reason that the city met with Eskom on Tuesday was to engage them on the fact that the city does face cash flow challenges.”
“This is no secret. The City of Tshwane has been struggling to recoup its finances since it was left with a R4 billion deficit over a year and a half ago by the [unlawfully deployed] ANC administrator.”
Griffiths also explained that several national government departments owe the city “tens of millions”, including the Department of Public Works and the Defence Force.
To get these departments to pay, the city has been cutting off power to several military bases and ministerial homes with some success.
“Within the next day, we’d received significant payments. Up to R90 million in one case,” Griffiths said.
He said the municipality has even had to cause minor diplomatic incidents by cutting power to certain embassies and consulates to get the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to pay its bills.
The ANC denies that its administration left the municipality R4 billion in the red.
“The ANC really is disappointed by the behaviour of the DA-led apartheid-style coalition government in Tshwane,” Kgosi Maepa, ANC regional chairperson, told eNCA.
“Eskom won’t come out and say you owe us R635 million when you have a current account, so that is misaligned. We can’t take that.”
“That is a bad excuse.”
When asked what the bill was when the DA-led coalition took over, Maepa claimed that the ANC administration’s account actually had a surplus.
“No, we had never had a bill when they took over. We had a surplus of R600 million in the account. It’s on the reports of 15/16 and 17/18.”
Mayor Randall Williams took office in November 2020.
“We have never had an account with Eskom that is owed by the City of Tshwane,” Maepa stated.
Griffiths refuted Maepa’s claims that the ANC left the City of Tshwane with a surplus.
“That’s an accounting fact. It existed on the financial statements when the ANC administrators that were unlawfully deployed by the provincial government were removed,” he stated.
“It’s what mayor Williams inherited when he was first chosen into office in November 2020.”
Griffiths said that, unfortunately, Maepa does not read the financial statements.
“Nor does he attend council meetings. In fact, Mr Maepa is a member of the finance committee which in the last year [met twelve times]. He attended three,” stated Griffiths.
“Mr Maepa is earning approximately R35,000 a month and barely comes to work. He’s most certainly not an authority to take at his word.”
Maepa denied Griffiths’ allegations, said he’s always in council meetings, and said the DA didn’t call a single finance committee meeting in 2021.
He also alleged that the mayor had to withdraw claims that he never attended meetings.
Griffiths assured that Tshwane would continue to work with Eskom on the way forward.