Business versus Eskom in court

DEBT SWITCH-OFF LOOMS: EMFULENI OWES R600M

Firms will ask the court if they can pay the utility instead of the municipality.

Gauteng’s Emfuleni Municipality faces daily power supply interruptions if business organisations challenging Eskom’s decision to penalise indebted councils lose their court battle today.

Earlier this month, Eskom postponed the planned power interruptions to the municipality after a group of businesses in the Greater Vaal area obtained a court interdict blocking it.

Emfuleni owes Eskom over R600 million.

Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe said the businesses would be asking the court to allow them to pay Eskom directly instead of the municipality.

He added that if the municipality had not negotiated terms of payment with Eskom by the end of business yesterday, scheduled power cuts would commence in the Vaal after the court ruling today.

Phasiwe said Eskom gave the municipality 30-days notice, with the deadline being yesterday, to make an arrangement to pay its multimillion-rand bill.

If the scheduled power supply interruptions go ahead, areas affected include Sebokeng, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging and the Greater Vaal area.

“If Eskom’s scheduled power interruptions kick in, Emfuleni areas will not have power for four hours a day for the first week between – ANA