By Nkhensani Chauke
Eskom has responded to the Pretoria High Court’s ruling that it should not have attached the Emfuleni Local Municipality’s bank accounts due to unpaid electricity bills.
The case, brought before Judge Neukircher in October, followed Emfuleni’s application challenging Eskom’s actions.
The court found that the municipality’s participation in the National Treasury Debt Relief Programme remained valid, making Eskom’s debt collection measures an “injustice.”
“Eskom notes the court judgement regarding the attachment of the Emfuleni Local Municipality’s bank accounts due to non-payment of its current electricity account,” Eskom said.
The power utility said that by the time the case was heard on October 18, 2024, it had already released Emfuleni’s accounts and signed the Distribution Agency Agreement (DAA) in compliance with a July 2023 court order. This rendered the interim order (part A) moot.
Emfuleni argued that it is part of the Debt Relief Programme and sought to suspend Eskom’s attachment of its accounts.
According to Eskom, the case was divided into two parts, with the recent judgment focusing on interim relief under “part A,” while “part B” remains pending.
Eskom initially attached Emfuleni’s accounts in September to secure payments on the municipality’s electricity debt, which the utility reported at approximately R8 billion.
Eskom alleged Emfuleni failed to meet its obligations under the debt relief programme — a claim the court found to be false.
Eskom said the broader issue of municipal debt, which it said stands at around R90 billion, severely impacting its financial stability and ability to provide reliable electricity.
“Eskom remains committed to recovering outstanding debt from defaulting municipalities to strengthen the power supply for the benefit of all South Africans,” the power utility said.
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