Ramokgopa bemoans slow debt repayment by govt, businesses to municipalities
Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has once again urged the government and businesses to pay their debts to municipalities.
"Pay! The government pay, provincial, and national. Pay the municipalities. You will see there will be a significant relief,” Ramakgopa said during a media briefing on Monday morning.
Ramakgopa said Eskom is owed R78 billion by municipalities around the country.
"In return municipalities are owed collectively about R349 billion by various categories of customers. So individual households, businesses and government. You can't be postponing your payment, as national and provincial governments and expect municipalities to carry you.
“So we have an interest to protect everyone, including local government. Then let’s see the true picture of what's owned by citizens and then let’s make that intervention."
He said payments will assist the municipalities in dealing with their debt and lead to less load reduction, which he described as a growing concern.
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