JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The City of Johannesburg is moving forward with a landmark R5-billion Eskom debt settlement, a strategic agreement that Mayor Dada Morero hopes will significantly reduce power outages and stabilize the municipality’s electricity network. By clearing this historic financial obligation, the city aims to ease systemic pressure on the grid while curbing the ongoing burden of costly bulk electricity purchases.
Mayor Dada Morero emphasized that the municipality’s immediate operational focus has now shifted to maintaining its current account. Moving forward, the city is committed to ensuring that all ongoing electricity obligations are paid consistently and on time to prevent future arrears from accumulating.
Beyond the financial resolution, the Mayor highlighted that the agreement reached with Eskom extends past mere debt repayment. It encompasses a dedicated technical support framework specifically designed to tackle the severe electricity losses the municipality has been experiencing.
To achieve this, Eskom and City Power have formally agreed to a collaborative program aimed directly at identifying and reducing these network inefficiencies. According to Mayor Morero, this targeted technical support will go a long way in driving down the city’s disproportionately high bulk electricity purchases, ultimately addressing the root causes of the current energy losses and paving the way for a more reliable power supply for residents.
