JOHANNESBURG – Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital is at risk of having its electricity cut on Thursday unless it can scrape together some R40 million to pay its electricity bill.

City Power’s Isaac Mangena says despite commitments from provincial government to settle its outstanding debt, there are still multiple hospitals in the red and Charlotte Maxeke hospital is among those owing the most.

“The highest on the list is the Children’s Memorial Institute and also Charlotte Maxeke Joburg Hospital, with [the] Joburg hospital basically owing about R41 million. And they are due for disconnection on Thursday, tomorrow.”

Mangena says the situation is “unfortunate”.
“This really puts us in a really difficult and unfortunate position, where we find ourselves being forced to basically cut off electricity to some of these facilities. We will continue to engage the provincial leadership with a view to resolve this matter amicably,” he said.

Gauteng Finance MEC Jacob Mamabolo says while the province’s Health Department is facing serious budgetary challenges, invoicing disputes should be the only reason the provincial government is not paying its electricity bills.

Mamabolo’s comments come as City Power says that despite commitments from the provincial government to settle the millions of rands in outstanding electricity bills it’s currently sitting with, there are still multiple hospitals in the red.

“To the extent that I’m aware, there are matters that relate to the billing and the aspects of that billing as the non-payment as it stands currently is because there are issues that I think are still outstanding between the department – actually the hospital itself – and the City of Joburg.”

He says at a meeting with the MMCs of Finance last week, he indicated that monies owed by the province to municipalities should be paid within 30 days.

“Because we are paying our invoices almost across the board except in health. All of them – – 100% – – some of them in 15 days. So, we are saying that there’s no reason really not to pay except in those cases where there could be disputes on invoices.”

Editors note: Eyewitness News previously reported that the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital is indebted to City Power according to the utility. City Power has since rectified its error.

City Power says it made an error when it announced that the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital is part of a list of health facilities owing the entity millions of rands in unpaid electricity bills.

Mangena has admitted they confused the facility with another children’s hospital.

“In actual fact, it is the Johannesburg Children’s Hospital also referred to as the Children’s Memorial Institute which owes City Power approximately R47 million. The Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital is up to date with their account with the City of Johannesburg, and we thank them for that.”