Ramokgopa says municipalities need to invest in power distribution systems

JOHANNESBURG - Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says municipalities are not investing enough in electricity distribution infrastructure.

He was giving an update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan on Sunday.

Ramokgopa says this has led to communities being subjected to no electricity for longer periods.

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"We had done a longitudinal study trying to track the amount of investments that have been made by municipalities in relation to refurbishment, replenishment, and replacing and or maintenance of the distribution infrastructure and we have found that they are underspending by R2,5-billion and overtime that has accumulated to upwards of R30-billion," he said.

Municipalities also owe Eskom a whopping R63-billion.

The top 20 defaulters account for 77% of that debt.

Ramokgopa says this is undermining Eskom's ability to keep the lights on.