Limpopo municipalities committed to service Eskom debt: Ramathuba

Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba speaking at a government event.

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Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba says the province’s municipalities remain committed to servicing their Eskom debt. The province’s municipalities have the lowest debt to Eskom, owing R1.6 billion out of the R100 billion owed by municipalities nationwide.

Ramathuba was speaking as government officials met the Minister of Energy and Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa on Monday to discuss load reduction.

“ The challenge of that Eskom debt has been thoroughly analysed, how can we come up with a solution and this is one of the solutions and this solution will not only address the current Eskom debt, it also addresses our capacity to plan within our municipalities, which we do not have and also our capacity to manage our finances. Our capacity and skills in terms of technology.”

VIDEO | Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba says the province has done a lot of work in addressing the Eskom debt.

Load reduction

Meanwhile, Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has given the assurance that the government is taking steps to eliminate load reduction nationwide.

Although the country has experienced a significant number of days without rolling blackouts, some rural villages in Limpopo have electricity disruptions daily.

Ramokgopa who met with mayors of Limpopo municipalities in Polokwane on Monday says that resources are being allocated to combat load reduction.

“ We are now fighting load reduction. It’s on our radar and we are summoning all the resources necessary to improve the capacity of the distribution and reticulation infrastructure, to ensure that we address leakage, what we call illegal connection, but we formalise those who are consuming and want to pay. We put them on the prepaid, smart-electricity platform that will be run and directed by Eskom and municipalities.”

Together, we are exploring innovative strategies and partnerships to empower communities, enhance service delivery, and ensure that every household has reliable and affordable electricity. pic.twitter.com/OIBpk1l93L

— Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa (@Kgosientsho_R) February 10, 2025