The City of Joburg has fully settled an overdue debt of R5.25-billion owed to Eskom, the electricity department said on Friday.
Upcoming municipal elections and ANC pressure
The settlement follows a government-led mediation process to resolve a long-running billing dispute that had threatened to see electricity supply throttled to the economic hub of Africa’s biggest economy.
Business leaders address City’s challenges
The move comes ahead of municipal elections on November 4, when Johannesburg is expected to be among the most-hotly contested battlegrounds.
The city is currently governed by a coalition led by the ANC, the former liberation movement that also leads the coalition that governs on a national level.
The ANC is under pressure to improve service delivery and turn around struggling municipalities after seeing its share of the vote slide at successive elections.
Business leaders have pledged to help improve the state of Johannesburg’s ailing finances and dilapidated infrastructure, saying the city’s condition risks undermining efforts to boost economic growth.
- The City of Joburg has fully settled an overdue debt of R5.25 billion owed to Eskom.
- The settlement followed a government-led mediation process to resolve a long-running billing dispute.
- The dispute had threatened to see electricity supply throttled to Johannesburg, Africa's biggest economy's hub.
- The settlement comes ahead of municipal elections on November 4, with Johannesburg expected to be a key battleground.
- Johannesburg is governed by a coalition led by the ANC, which is under pressure to improve service delivery and municipal management.
