Ekurhuleni businesses reel under R13bn in unpaid bills, DA warns

By Johnathan Paoli

The City of Ekurhuleni is facing a mounting financial crisis as unpaid invoices to service providers balloon to R13 billion, leaving businesses on the brink of collapse and threatening widespread service delivery failures across the metro.

Democratic Alliance (DA) Kempvale constituency head Mike Waters has highlighted the ongoing unpaid service providers debt that stands at R13 billion, stressing that businesses are on the brink of collapse with escalating and widespread delivery failures across the metropolitan area.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Waters emphasised that the staggering figure was more than double the R6 billion previously reported by Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MEC Mzi Khumalo to the provincial legislature last month.

“R13 billion in unpaid bills is not just a number on a spreadsheet; it means small businesses going under, workers not getting paid, and communities left without services. The current administration has turned