Cogta committee chairperson Zweli Mkhize led the delegation that engaged with 23 municipalities in Free State: Image: News24.
(The Post News)– Eskom debt has been steadily increasing in Free State local municipalities, notably Dihlabeng municipality, which faces a poor record of service delivery, among other issues.
A virtual parliament meeting held on Tuesday, 12 August, with the portfolio committee on cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta), the standing committee on public accounts, and the standing committee on the auditor-general, along with several members of the provincial legislature in the Free State, revealed that Eskom’s debt has been increasing.
Since 2015, the Dihlabeng Local Municipality’s audit status has declined from an unqualified opinion to consecutive qualified opinions. Over the period of 9 years, the municipality’s Eskom debt increased from R74 million in 2015 to R1.1 billion by 2024.
Cogta chairperson Dr. Zweli Mkhize led the delegation that made contact with 23 municipalities in the Free State in July. However, due to time constraints, the last four local municipalities could not be questioned during the visit. The four municipalities include Setsoto, Dihlabeng, Nketoana, and Phumelela. The aim of the meeting was to wrap up discussions with the final four municipalities after a joint parliamentary.
During the proceedings, Mohau Ntheli, Dihlabeng municipality’s municipal manager, stated that, “From 2015, the municipality’s audit opinion declined from an unqualified opinion to a string of qualified opinions that has lasted to date. The Eskom debt escalated from R74 million in 2015 to R1.1 billion in 2024.”
The meeting further revealed that Nketoane municipality is struggling with aging water infrastructure and a water treatment works plant that fails to meet the current demand in the municipality.
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