By Levy Masiteng
The City of Johannesburg and its power utility, City Power, have paid Eskom R1.2 billion towards their electricity debt, but still owe the power utility R5.28 billion, as Eskom extended its public consultation process by a further 30 days after saying public participation had slowed following ministerial intervention.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Eskom said the City of Johannesburg and City Power initially owed R5.26 billion in arrears when the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) notice was issued in May.
However, the amount excluded a current account of R1.58 billion that became due on 5 June 2026.
Despite receiving R1.2 billion in payments since the notice was issued, Eskom said the June current account remains unpaid.
As of 11 June 2026, the metro’s total debt stood at R5.28 billion, made up of an overdue current account of R2.7 billion and R2.58 billion still outstanding under a court-ordered settlement arrangement.
The latest dispute follows a settlement agreement reached between Eskom and City Power last year following a long-running billing dispute worth about R3.2 billion.
The agreement, which was later made an order of the High Court on 7 November 2025, required the city to pay both its current electricity accounts and historical debt instalments according to a structured repayment plan.
“Therefore, Eskom will not sign another payment arrangement as the current arrangement remains enforceable,” the statement reads.
A task team comprising Eskom, the City of Johannesburg and City Power has been established to address the debt crisis.
However, Eskom stressed that the PAJA process, which could ultimately result in electricity supply interruptions at certain Johannesburg bulk supply points, remains active.
“The PAJA process remains an administrative consultation process that provides affected stakeholders and members of the public with an opportunity to make representations before Eskom reaches a final decision,” Eskom said.
According to the utility, public participation slowed after Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced that Eskom and City Power had reached an agreement in principle that could have suspended the process if City Power settled its account.
“However, City Power has failed to meet its payment obligations under the agreement, and Eskom will now proceed with the PAJA process,” Eskom said.
To ensure a fair administrative process, Eskom has extended the deadline for public comments and submissions to 17 July 2026.
The utility said it will consider all representations received before announcing its final decision on 24 July 2026.
INSIDE POLITICS
