Johannesburg settles Eskom electricity debt

The South Africa — Johannesburg and its electricity distributor City Power have fully settled R5.25 billion in overdue electricity debt owed to Eskom, South Africa's national power utility. The final payment was received on 21 August 2026, resolving a long-standing billing dispute that had threatened electricity supply to the country's economic hub. In May 2026, Eskom had initiated a legal process under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act to reduce, interrupt, or terminate supply to selected bulk supply points due to the arrears. Following the settlement, Eskom withdrew that process. The city also confirmed that its July 2026 current account of R1.86 billion will be paid by 31 August 2026, and committed to paying all future accounts on time. The resolution was facilitated by Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa through an inter-governmental relations task team involving the city, City Power, and Eskom. Mayor Dada Morero described the payment as a significant milestone in the city's journey towards financial sustainability and responsible governance, while also committing to reduce electricity losses from theft and vandalism and invest in critical infrastructure.