Eskom has announced its intentions to cut the bulk electricity supply to the top 20 defaulting municipalities in South Africa as the embattled power utility seeks to begin the process to recover billions of rands owed.
The power to these municipalities would be cut from the 5th of June.
The only municipality on the list of top 20 defaulters in the Eastern and Western Cape is the beleaguered Makana Municipality at Grahamstown.
Eskom says these 20 municipalities collectively owe the power utility R3.68 billion for bulk supply of electricity.
Interim Chief Executive of Eskom Zethembe Khoza says they recognise that the disconnection of electricity supply may cause undue hardship to consumers but that its always the last resort explored.
Eskom said it was contemplating a regulated interruption of electricity to these municipalities - on weekdays from 6am to 10 am and 5pm to 9pm and on weekends from 7am to 10 am and 5pm to 8pm.
Khoza said the defaulting municipalities would be given the opportunity to make written representations to Eskom.
