Residents in parts of the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality are facing reduced electricity supply after Eskom announced it will implement power cuts from 8 May due to the municipality’s growing debt, which has reached approximately R930 million.
Eskom said the municipality has failed to pay its electricity accounts for at least the past 18 months. This is despite the municipality being admitted into National Treasury’s municipal debt relief programme on 19 December 2023. According to Eskom, the municipality has not complied with the programme’s conditions, especially the requirement to keep up with current payments.
The power utility stated that since joining the programme, the municipality’s debt has increased by more than R511 million, raising serious concerns about financial risk. “The municipality has not met the conditions of National Treasury’s municipal debt relief programme and therefore poses a significant financial risk,” Eskom said.
The planned electricity supply reductions will affect the towns of Jansenville, Steytlerville and Willowmore, where the municipality operates its own separate power lines. Other towns in the municipal area will not be affected because they share infrastructure with Eskom’s distribution network.
Power supply in the affected areas will be reduced during specific hours. From Monday to Friday, outages will take place between 06:00 and 09:00, and again from 17:00 to 20:30. On Saturdays and Sundays, electricity will be reduced from 08:30 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00. Eskom added that these times may change until an agreement is reached or the outstanding debt is paid.
Before making this decision, Eskom conducted a public consultation process to allow the municipality to propose solutions. However, the municipality did not take up any of the proposed options. These included entering into a Distribution Agency Agreement, adopting a prepayment system, or allowing customers to pay Eskom directly.
Mayor Willem Safers responded by saying the matter is being handled urgently and that the municipality has appointed legal advisors. He confirmed that legal proceedings are underway against Eskom, involving disputes over outstanding amounts, tariff differences, and historical debt from the 2016 municipal merger.
“Appropriate legal relief is being actively pursued, as the municipality remains committed to protecting the interests of the community and to resolving the matter through all lawful means,” Safers said.
He also stated that the municipality disputes the accuracy of Eskom’s claims about the total debt.
With the implementation date approaching, residents and businesses in the affected towns are preparing for regular power interruptions as the dispute between Eskom and the municipality continues.
