Deputy President Mabuza convenes an intervention meeting on Maluti-a-Phofung

Deputy President David Mabuza has today, 27 November 2020 convened a meeting on the service delivery intervention in Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality. The meeting follows commitments made by the Deputy President during the Oral Replies to the National Council of Provinces on 4 November 2020 and subsequently to the National Assembly yesterday, 26 November 2020. 

Deputy President Mabuza convened the meeting as an intervention to resolve the impasse between Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality and Eskom, regarding outstanding debt owed by the municipality to the utility. This rising debt, has led to disruption of electricity supply and provision of other basic services, including water provision. 

While responding to a question on service delivery challenges in QwaQwa, Deputy President made an undertaking to meet with the Free State Province, the municipality and Eskom to facilitate a resolution to the current challenge of outstanding debt that has impacted on sustainable delivery of services in Maluti-a-Phofung. The disruption of services had led to recurring protests by residents over a period of time. 

In responding in the National Assembly, Deputy President Mabuza said “We fully support Eskom’s efforts to collect revenue by following its credit control measures, and to ensure that organs of state do expedite payment of outstanding debts owed to Eskom, and that they settle all outstanding debts to municipalities." 

In taking the process forward, a technical task team comprising of National Government Departments, the Free State Office of the Premier and the Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs was immediately set up to process proposals by all parties. The meeting agreed to hold a follow-up meeting on 04 December 2020 to further discuss proposals made by the parties towards a sustainable solution to the current challenge of rising debt. 

At this meeting, Deputy President Mabuza was joined by the Minister Pravin Gordhan of Public Enterprises, Deputy Minister Parks Tau of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Premier Sisa Ntombela and MEC Thembeni Nxangisa of CoGTA in the Free State Province, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of Eskom, Mr Andre De Ruyter. 


Media enquiries: Matshepo Seedat on 082 679 9473 or Matshepo@presidency.gov.za 

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria