Officials from the municipality have told Members of Parliament (MPs) that the debt which the local municipality owes Eskom has increased due to land invasions in the Emalahleni area.
The debt is now more than R4 billion due to illegal electricity connections.
Members of the National Council of Provinces held a meeting with officials from the municipality, provincial Treasury and Cooperative Governance Department.
At the meeting, the financial status of the local government, land grabs and the escalating Eskom debt were discussed.
Concerns were raised by the MPs about the fact that the municipality has been relying too heavily on consultants.
They indicated that the cost is expensive and affecting the financial recovery plans.
