Erase the culture of nonpayment

Just when you thought that the cesspit of corruption, incompetence and politics which is Eskom could produce nothing more which could shock you, it does. The power utility quietly – and understandably so, given the anger which will undoubtedly erupt from its customers – wrote off R3.6 billion of the debt owed by Soweto’s defaulting residents.

The write-off was only the interest on the spiralling debt of the township, which is an ANC stronghold. Soweto still owes R16.1 billion. Had that amount been paid, Eskom would not be facing such a huge loss – predicted to be R21 billion in the current financial year – and the rest of the people (those who pay for their electricity) would not be facing huge power price hikes in the new year.

There might be those who argue that it is unfair to tar all residents of Soweto with the same brush – but it is astounding to hear that just over 16% of power consumers there bother to pay what they owe (to Eskom and municipal suppliers anyway).

That is a payment rate which is even lower than that for the hated e-toll scheme, where 20% of users of the highways pay the toll fees.

Undoubtedly, there are many poor and indigent people in Soweto but, equally, there are plenty of middleclass and comparatively well-off households which are not paying.

This is a culture of theft (for that is what it is) on a scale unprecedented in the history of this country. Yet, what is being done about it? Nothing. Eskom is threatening to pull the power plug on Bloemfontein and other Free State municipalities for debts of R2 billion or less each. But no such action is mooted for Soweto.

Unless this culture of nonpayment is eradicated, this country will be dragged further into economic collapse.