# Eskom and a group of businesses strike a landmark deal, sidelining the local municipality

- Link: https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/2019/10/28/eskom-and-a-group-of-businesses-strike-a-landmark-deal-sidelining-the-local-municipality/
- Published: 2019-10-28T11:29:40+02:00
- Author: dearSA

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A landmark agreement between Eskom and businesses in a Free State town may sideline
more dysfunctional municipalities in future.

[Rapport reports ](https://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Algemeen/nuwe-hoop-op-die-platteland-20191027)
that the Harrismith Business Forum signed a contract with Eskom on Friday whereby
the power utility will deliver power directly  to the town’s 100 biggest power users–
bypassing the local municipality completely.

The Maluti-a-Phofung municipality owes Eskom more than R4bn in unpaid electricity
bills – the biggest outstanding municipal power account in the country. The municipality
has a monthly electricity bill of R180m, which was last paid years ago.

Eskom has cut off electricity to Harrismith a number of times over the past five
years, which has caused damage to its sewage system.

The agreement between the businesses and Eskom is the result of a legal battle that
dragged on for more two years. It could set a precedent whereby businesses in other
town could also bypass municipalities – and avoid having their power cut off, [Rapport reports](https://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Algemeen/nuwe-hoop-op-die-platteland-20191027).

Across the country, municipalities now owe Eskom R25.1bn – and this has grown by
R5.2bn since April. Some rural municipalities are not paying Eskom the money they
receive from businesses and households, who faithfully pay their power bills. Eskom
often cut power to these non-paying municipalities – affecting those who have been
paying their bills too.

Ben Deysel, chairperson of the Harrismith Business Forum, [told Rapport ](https://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Algemeen/nuwe-hoop-op-die-platteland-20191027)
that the local businesses and Eskom will split the bill for installing new electricity
meters. Every business will get a reference number and pay for the electricity directly
into a specific bank account.

Together, the 100 biggest businesses in the town pay electricity bills of R20m a
month – which will now not go towards the municipal coffers. The businesses include
Nestle, Shoprite Checkers, the plastic company Alpla and the carpet producer Nouwens.

Last week, an inter-ministerial Eskom task team – chaired by Minister of Cooperative
Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma – was supposed to brief
the Standing Committee on Public Accounts on municipalities’ outstanding Eskom bills.
But Dlamini was a no-show.

Recently, the ANC [narrowly clung to power in the Maluti-a-Phofung municipality](https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/anc-loss-of-10-wards-in-maluti-a-phofung-a-sign-of-voter-impatience-free-state-anc-20190830)
after a number of its counsellors resigned.

[Article](https://m.fin24.com/Budget/eskom-and-a-group-of-businesses-strike-a-landmark-deal-sidelining-the-local-municipality-20191028)
by Fin 24