Eskom said it is making some progress with collecting money owed to it by municipalities.

Of the 34 municipalities scheduled for supply interruptions during the month of January, Eskom has received payments and signed payment plans with 22 municipalities. As a result, these municipalities have had their supply interruptions suspended.

The latest municipality to have given Eskom a proposed payment plan came from the Madibeng Municipality in the North West Province yesterday.

Eskom’s interim chief executive Matshela Koko said: “We are immensely encouraged by the kind of response we are witnessing presently and would like to thank all the municipalities that have made an effort to pay their accounts, and committed to their payment agreements.”

The power utility released a statement in which it said that “the time has come for the outstanding overdue debt to be honoured in full”.

It added that the company is working closely with all stakeholders to ensure that this happens for the sole benefit of, not only Eskom, but the entire South African economy.

On Monday, three municipalities that were scheduled to have its power cut narrowly escaped darkness when it settled its outstanding debt as per the agreed payment plan with Eskom.

These included the Dihlabeng and Masilonyana municipalities in the Free State Province, and Mamusa in the North West Province.

Eskom said it would monitor the “strict adherence to the payment plans and the payment of current accounts of these municipalities and any defaults will result in the interruption of supply without further notice”.

Earlier in the week, Koko said: “We have always emphasised the fact that electricity interruptions are the last resort available to us, which we have taken agonisingly.”

Eskom said it will continue with the supply interruptions of electricity to the Naledi Municipality in the North West Province between 06h00 – 08h00 and 17h00 – 19h30 today.

To avoid supply interruptions, municipalities need to meet the following three requirements:

• A cash payment as negotiated with each municipality
• A written undertaking in the form of a Council Resolution that current accounts will be honoured going forward
• A payment plan for the arrears supported by a Council Resolution