KEY POINTS
- The Makhanda High Court has temporarily stopped Eskom from imposing up to 14 hours of daily power cuts on three Karoo towns over unpaid municipal debts.
- The dispute stems from the Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality owing Eskom more than R532 million, part of a wider national municipal debt crisis exceeding R110 billion.
- The court ruling provides temporary relief while allowing Eskom to later challenge the decision in a full hearing on its debt-recovery measures
The Makhanda High Court has stepped in to temporarily block Eskom from implementing severe electricity restrictions that would have left three Karoo towns facing up to 14 hours of daily blackouts.
The ruling affects Steytlerville, Jansenville, and Klipplaat in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality, where a mounting municipal debt of more than R532 million had pushed the power utility to consider drastic measures to recover unpaid bills.
Judge Justin Laing granted a provisional order stopping the planned cuts, meaning the restrictions cannot go ahead for now. However, the order is temporary and Eskom will still have the opportunity to return to court to justify its decision when the matter is fully heard.
The dispute stems from a broader national crisis involving unpaid municipal electricity debts, which have now surpassed R110 billion according to parliamentary figures. Eskom argues that continued non-payment by municipalities threatens the stability of the power system and forces the utility to consider strict debt recovery actions.
In court documents, Eskom claimed the municipality had been diverting electricity revenue meant for power supply payments to cover salaries and other creditors, worsening its financial position and contributing to the growing debt burden.
The utility’s plan to impose extended daily power cuts was intended, according to its argument, to prevent the municipality’s arrears from escalating further. However, the court intervention has paused those measures while a full review of Eskom’s decision is conducted.
For residents of the affected towns, the ruling provides immediate relief from the prospect of prolonged daily outages, which would have had severe consequences for households, businesses, and essential services.
The case highlights the growing tension between financially distressed municipalities and Eskom, as unpaid debts continue to strain electricity supply arrangements across South Africa. It also underscores the legal and political complexity of balancing debt recovery with the need to maintain basic services for communities.
