Infographic: Breakdown of debt owed by and to municipalities

This week the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Portfolio Committee tackled the contentious issue of municipal debt owed to Eskom and water boards. National Treasury was present on Tuesday, 12 May 2015, to defend its decision to withhold Equitable Share (ES) from municipalities that have not prioritised paying their debts to Eskom and the water boards. The COGTA Department and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) were also there to express their concerns, citing that withholding ES from municipalities would affect the poor and vulnerable the most because ES finances Free Basic Electricity. Added to this - many municipalities are owed billions in debt by national and provincial governments. For more information, see the infographic below:

(To read the entire meeting report, click here)