Energy utility Eskom has warned residents of the 20 municipalities across the country that are defaulting most severely that it may interrupt bulk electricity supply to these municipalities from June 5, outlining on Friday that the total municipal arrear debt greater than 30 days had reached R4.6-billion at the end of March.

Of this amount, these 20 defaulting municipalities currently owed R3.68-billion for the bulk supply of electricity.

“Nonpayment for electricity undermines Eskom’s statutory obligation to generate and supply electricity to municipalities nationally on a financially sustainable basis.

“We have, therefore, decided to exercise our right according to the provisions of the Electricity Regulation Act 4 of 2006 and the supply agreement with municipalities, which entitle[s] us to disconnect the supply of electricity to defaulting municipalities,” Eskom interim CEO Zethembe Khoza said in a statement.

The parastatal said it recognised that the disconnection of electricity supply may cause undue hardship to consumers and members of the community, and may adversely affect the delivery of other services; however, customer disconnection “was always the last resort explored”.

In view of this, Eskom was contemplating a regulated interruption of electricity between 06:00 and 10:00 and between 17:00 and 20:00 Monday to Friday.

Over weekends, the utility would look to disconnect power supply between 17:00 and 21:00 and between 17:00 and 20:00.

Consumers within the jurisdiction of a defaulting municipality would be given adequate notice in terms of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act and would be given the opportunity to make written representations to Eskom, it maintained.

The top 20 defaulting municipalities, in no particular order, are:
• Maluti-a-Phofung municipality
• Matjhabeng municipality
• Emalahleni local municipality
• Ngwathe local municipality
• Thaba Chweu local municipality
• Lekwa local municipality
• Govan Mbeki municipality
• City of Matlosana local municipality
• Naledi local municipality
• Thabazimbi local municipality
• Msukaligwa local municipality
• Lichtenburg municipality
• Nala local municipality
• Makana local municipality
• Madibeng local municipality
• Randfontein local municipality
• Dihlabeng local municipality
• Nketoana local municipality
• Nama Khoi local municipality
• Westonaria local municipality