Ekurhuleni threatens to disconnect 1,000 companies for not paying utility bills

JOHANNESBURG - The Ekurhuleni Municipality has threatened to disconnect 1,000 companies within the city for not paying its utility bills.

Mayor Doctor Xhakaza said the metro’s revenue collection rate was not at the required standard.

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Xhakaza gave his maiden State of the City Address (SOCA) on Tuesday in Germiston.

The Ekurhuleni Municipality said it would be intensifying its Siyacima Manje Namhlanje disconnection drive.

The metro said it will be targeting the top 1,000 companies that were capable of paying their municipal bills but had chosen not to.

Xhakaza said the city could not achieve its objective without adequate revenue collection.

"We remain concerned about the state of our finances, mainly because we seem not to be collecting enough revenue. Our finances are also not aligned to our priorities."

Xhakaza said one of his administration's goals was to reclaim the city’s clean audit status, which it lost during the previous financial year.