The rise of informal settlements is the leading cause of illegal electricity connections in the North West.
This was revealed by Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa when he met with the provincial local government leaders, in Brits, to discuss measures to address electricity challenges.
“A collective of municipalities in the North West owe Eskom upwards of R7 billion.
That’s significant if you consider the size of these municipalities.
The underlying problem is their inability to collect, and as a result of that, they cannot meet their commitments to Eskom.
They’re also unable to provide reliable electricity supply for customers in their spaces.
We have seen in Ditsobotla that some of their investors have relocated, causing significant economic devastation to that area,” said Ramokgopa.
Despite the challenges, the Minister committed to working closely with Eskom and the struggling municipalities, to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity to the residents.
Meanwhile, North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi believes the interventions agreed upon at the meeting with Ramokgopa will contribute towards the province’s economic growth.
“Most of our municipalities generate revenue through electricity but that money is not reinvested to ensure that we improve the infrastructure.
At the end of the discussion today all our municipalities are excited because they believe that this government intervention will ensure that they are self-sustained and that they are able to generate revenue.
It’ll make sure that they’re able to refurbish their electricity assets and have alternative energy sources,” remarked Mokgosi.
Consideration was also given to the embattled Ditsobotla Local Municipality which is embroiled in governance issues.
Ramokgopa emphasised the urgent need for collaborative efforts to address financial instability, which he warned would discourage potential investors in that municipality.
