South African power utility, ESKOM, has denied receiving payments from Zimbabwe to service the estimated US$83 million debt which has further escalated the incessant power cits being a currentkly witness in the country.
The government on Tuesday said it had paid US$10 million to the South African company as part of efforts to reduce the debt but ESKOM says as, at Friday 3pm, they had not received any payment from across the Limpopo.
“ESKOM has not received payments from Zimbabwe and would like to state that no funds have reflected on its accounts for Zimbabwe’s outstanding debt as at 28 June at 1500hrs.
“This is in response to the announcements made in Zimbabwe and queries that Esko is receiving regarding this issue.
Once ESKOM has received the funds, we will then enter into further discussions with ZESA’, Eskom Group CEO Phakamani Hadebe said in a statement.
This is in contrast to what the Zimbabwean government said during its cabinet meeting earlier this week.
“A further RTGS$20 million is due to be advanced to Zesa by Treasury, in order to boost power generation by the utility. This, together with the payment of US$10 million to Eskom, should help alleviate the current power supply situation,” said Minister Mutsvangwa during the weekly cabinet briefing in Harare.
Zimbabwe has been plagued into darkness over the past few weeks as power authorities say there is not sufficient power being generated from its power generating stations across the country.
