The Madibeng Local Municipality in Brits, North West, is at risk of a blackout due to outstanding electricity and water bills amounting to R129 million owed to the City of Tshwane as of October 31. Tshwane officials have issued a disconnection notice following the non-payment.
Energy expert Sampson Mamphweli explained that some municipalities use revenue from electricity sales for other services, often neglecting payments to Eskom for bulk electricity.
The City of Tshwane stated that while it has attempted to resolve the debt issue, Madibeng's proposed payment extension and settlement plan were rejected due to being unfavorable to Tshwane’s financial situation. No payments have been received, and Tshwane has warned that failure to settle the debt could lead to service disconnections.