GTCoC urges speedy resolution to ELM/Eskom debt crisis
The Vaal’s premier business organisation has urged the Gauteng Provincial Government to resolve the R2,3billion ELM/Eskom debt crisis immediately to ensure security of electricity supply and economic recovery from Covid-19 lock-down devastation.
ELM met an extended deadline imposed by Eskom to submit a new payment plan by 24 April but to date nothing has been communicated publicly by the Provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (GOGTA) department facilitating the matter.
Eskom said it no longer felt bound by the deal-making process initiated by COGTA and was keeping all options open in dealing with ELM – which paid its current account for March late and also had not paid for April by May 2 as per existing agreement.
Newly-appointed ELM Municipal Manager Lucky Leseane declined to respond on the Eskom comment, saying only ELM was participating in the COGTA-initiated process and would take guidance from their resolution process.
But business in the Vaal region needs every advantage and every support to recover and move to a prosperity scenario but uncertainty of electricity bulk supply services from Eskom is now blocking planning and undermining confidence in Gauteng’s poorest region even further.
The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) has now insisted that Gauteng GOGTA MEC Lebogang Maile now produce the political solution to the ongoing crisis he had promised months ago.
GTCoC CEO Klippies Kritzinger said the time for proposals and counter-proposals between ELM and Eskom had now passed and it was time for Maile to produce a “tangible and visible”solution now that economic activity was resuming due to lock-down relaxation.
“The GTCoC urges MEC Maile to resolve this issue as quickly and transparently as possible so that stakeholders can get on with the resumption of economic activity and plan for the future knowing there is security of power supply from Eskom to Emfuleni.
“Delays and lack of communication by COGTA are causing serious uncertainty and anger with Vaal business and residents and Maile needs to move fast now”,”said Kritzinger.
The GTCoC, MEC Maile and recently-appointed ELM Municipal Manager Lucky Leseane have all publicly said they sought a sustainable and affordable”payment deal with Eskom to replace the current deal.
The current ELM/Eskom payment agreement is widely seen as unrealistic due to a dramatic drop in ELM revenue caused by the Covid-19/lock-down and the destruction of revenue streams such as the smart meter programme closure before a new administration at the cash-strapped municipality.
In facilitating a political solution to the debt crisis – which has resulted in Eskom previously having ELM assets attached and seized leading to a total halt in general service delivery – Maile earlier organised a meeting with Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter with all Gauteng Mayors and Municipal Managers.
Repeated attempts to contact the Gauteng COGTA spokesperson were fruitless and he did not respond to repeated requests for comment over the past two weeks.
