Private companies in South Africa owe Eskom more than R299 million in unpaid electricity bills, Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said.
The figure is based on Eskom data from August 2026. It shows that 111 private companies had large unpaid amounts with the power utility.
Ramokgopa gave the numbers in a reply to a Parliamentary question from EFF MP Omphile Maotwe. She had asked which companies owed Eskom the most money. She also asked how the utility planned to get the money back.
The minister said Eskom reports on customers whose electricity debt has been unpaid for more than four months. He said most of the debt sits with a small group of companies.
According to Ramokgopa, 20 companies make up 92% of the R299 million owed across all 111 accounts. Together, these 20 companies owe Eskom R274 million.
The top three debtors alone account for 60.7% of the total debt. Between them, they owe R181.4 million.
Transalloys is the biggest debtor. It built up R85.9 million in unpaid electricity bills in the four months to August 2026. The company is South Africa’s main producer of silicomanganese.
Mittal Steel South Africa is second, owing Eskom R67.5 million across two accounts. It is the largest steel producer in sub-Saharan Africa.
Barplats Mines is third, with R28 million owed. Barplats mines platinum group metals and chrome. It is a subsidiary of JSE-listed Eastern Platinum.
The top 20 list also includes diamond miners such as West Coast Resources and GF Diamond Mining. Farming companies Green Acre Farms and Driehoek Agri Edms are on the list too. So is one of the country’s largest commercial abalone farms.
Some property development firms also appear on the list. Ebundu, which runs a large hotel in Mpumalanga, is listed as well.
Ramokgopa said 11 of the top 20 accounts already have payment plans worth R225 million. That is 82% of the debt owed by the top 20. He said these companies are sticking to their plans and paying monthly instalments.
“The remaining nine accounts in the Top 20, with a combined debt value of R49 million, relate to customers under business rescue or where disputes are being addressed,” the minister said.
Companies in business rescue that cannot repay their Eskom debt include West Coast Resources, SA Steel Mills, Ebundu and Karani Brothers. Bothibelelo S Quarts and Green Acre Farms are also in business rescue.
“The focus in these cases is to ensure that current accounts continue to be paid,” Ramokgopa said.
He said Eskom will also try to agree on payment plans with companies in business rescue. Companies that owe Eskom and do not pay could have their power physically cut off as a last resort.
The private company debt is small next to what municipalities owe. Ramokgopa has said 110 municipalities owe Eskom a total of R122.5 billion. That is 409.7 times more than all private companies owe the utility.
Source: this article is based on reporting by MyBroadband. Image: MyBroadband. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.