Hospital ordered to settle R40m power bill

Charlotte Maxeke to be disconnected if bill unpaid

Jeanette Chabalala Senior Reporter
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. File photo.
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. File photo.
Image: Freddy Mavunda

City Power says the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital will be disconnected if R40m in electricity bill is not paid.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said for months they have been engaging with the provincial government over the debt. 

“We have held several meetings with officials and served several pre-termination notices and they committed to basically settle their accounts.”

Mangena said the Children’s Memorial Institute owed R47m, while Charlotte Maxeke Hospital owed R41m and was due to be disconnected on Thursday, and Helen Joseph Hospital was sitting with a debt of R13m.

Coronation Hospital owes City Power about R4m with South Rand Hospital sitting at R3m and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital is sitting at R2.6m.

“The department of health needs to understand that at almost R10bn in the rate City Power revenue book finds itself in a critical but stable situation and really needs the revenue to stay afloat and be able to conduct maintenance on our infrastructure and replenish material lost during theft and vandalism, especially now during load shedding and also keep the lights on for our residents across the city of Johannesburg.

“This really puts us in a difficult but unfortunate position where we find ourselves being forced to cut electricity in some of these facilities,” Mangena said.

 

Editor's Note: In a previous version of the article, we incorrectly stated that the 'Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital owed R47m'. The article has been updated to reflect the correct information which is ‘the Children's Memorial Institute owed R47m'.

City Power has admitted that it confused the institute with the children's hospital and has apologised to NMCH CEO Nkuli Boikhutso.


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