Emfuleni workers finally receive Sep salaries amid municipality’s wrangle with Eskom
Thousands of workers were left in limbo after Eskom attached the municipality’s bank accounts, owing to its failure to pay its power bill.
FILE: Roads and stormwater team patching potholes in DF Malan Street at Emfuleni Local Municipality Picture: Supplied/facebook.com/emfulenilocalmunicipality
JOHANNESBURG - After more than two weeks without pay, municipal workers in Emfuleni have finally received their salaries.
Thousands of workers were left in limbo after Eskom attached the municipality’s bank accounts, owing to its failure to pay its electricity provision bill.
This delayed the payment of the municipal workers' salaries for September.
The embattled municipality confirmed that workers were paid on Thursday, following engagements with provincial and national leaders.
The Emfuleni Local Municipality owes Eskom a staggering R8 billion, which accounts for 10% of the total amount owed by municipalities across the country.
READ: Emfuleni Municipality fails to pay salaries after Eskom attaches its bank accounts
Despite Eskom's offer of debt relief, the utility says the local municipality has displayed no interest in settling its substantial debt.
The Emfuleni Local Municipality's spokesperson, Makhosonke Sangweni, said the municipality has pledged to pay 10% of its electricity revenue to Eskom monthly.
"This means that ourselves and Eskom, we are going to work together. They are going to be responsible for production and we are both going to be responsible for distribution. We are going to share profits between ourselves and them," said Sangweni.
Earlier this week, some workers took their frustrations to the streets, demanding an urgent solution to the non-payment of salaries.