Speaking to OFM News outside the Mangaung Metro Council chambers where Cogta had a meeting with Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela and executive members about the state of the metro, Tau highlighted that they are concerned over the financial woes of many Free State municipalities.
OFM news reports that his statement comes just weeks after residents of Qwaqwa in Maluti-A-Phofung embarked on service delivery protests over a lack of water supply. The municipality, which owes Eskom over R4 billion, is amongst the Free State municipalities that collectively owe the power utility over R9.8 billion. Tau’s visit to the province also comes amidst increasing concerns over the state of the Mangaung Metro and its ability to render services to residents after it was downgraded twice by Moody’s Investors Services and placed under administration by the provincial government.
“We are constantly engaging with Eskom and Salga because municipalities in certain instances dispute certain components of the debt. We’ve raised this at Scopa and engaged Eskom on what needs to be done to resolve this problem. I am confident that the impasses will be resolved, but it requires all stakeholders around the table to resolve problems faced by municipalities,” said Tau.
He adds that they are taking all recommendations by Salga, the Auditor-General and Treasury to ensure that municipalities in the Free State and countrywide are able to collect revenue and meet their obligations.
