Municipality to challenge Eskom’s move to seize its bank accounts

The Emfuleni Local Municipality has promised to challenge Eskom’s decision to attach the municipality’s bank accounts to recover R8 billion in unpaid debt.

Eskom‘s decision comes after the municipality failed to comply with a debt relief program. The power utility says it has exhausted all legal avenues to secure payment since 2018.

However, the municipality says it believes all necessary step to find a solution were not followed.

Emfuleni’s MMC for Finance and Revenue Hassan Mako says, “Eskom is not (at) its competency to announce that we have not adhered to the debt relief conditions, it is national treasury that is supposed to communicate such a message. However over and above we do acknowledge the debt. But the billing tactic that Eskom is using will definitely affect us and it will affect residents as well because attachments of bank accounts mean we cannot transact and maintain whatever it is that we are supposed to do on a daily basis.”

[COMING UP] on #sabcnews #FirstTakeSA Eskom has attached Emfuleni Municipality’s bank accounts to recover R8 billion in unpaid debt. pic.twitter.com/4lYyao93t2

— SABC News Radio (@SABCNews_Radio) September 12, 2024