BRITS POS – BRITS - The Madibeng Local Municipality is facing a potential blackout due to unpaid electricity and water bills totalling R129 million owed to the City of Tshwane as of October 31 this year.
The City of Tshwane says they have been trying to resolve the outstanding debt issue with Madibeng, however, their proposed payment arrangement has been rejected.
Spokesperson of City of Tshwane Lindela Mashigo said that the City of Tshwane received a payment proposal from the Madibeng Municipality, proposing a payment extension from a 30-day period to 45 days and also suggesting a settlement plan of the outstanding amount by the 31st of March 2025.
The arrangement was not considered by Tshwane since it is not favourable to the city’s financial state. A detailed response letter was sent to the municipal manager of the Madibeng Local Municipality to consider a revised proposal which also stated clearly that failure to pay will result in disconnection of services. To date, no payments have been received.
Brits Pos spoke to Tumelo Tshabalala, spokesperson of Madibeng Municipality and he said that this electricity debt matter is receiving urgent attention.
Tshabalala told Brits Pos that whilst the Municipality remains committed to servicing its creditors for bulk services supply, it is equally important to make payment based on accurate billing thus eliminating any possible wasteful expenditure.
“Madibeng Municipality has on numerous occasions engaged the City on inaccurate and inconsistent billing for bulk services rendered (water and electricity). Discussions with the City have thus far not yielded any positive results and the Municipality has henceforth taken the legal route to resolve the matter,” Tshabalala said.
The Executive Mayor of Madibeng Local Municipality, Cllr Douglas Maimane, said that they are confident that the legal process will unfold fairly and the matter resolved soon to avoid any interruption of services. “We have started the process of receiving such services directly from the main bulk suppliers being Eskom and Rand Water and eliminate any intermediaries, Maimane said.
