R12. 5bn in unpaid supplier invoices crippling small businesses as EC government leads debt crisis

By Loyiso Sidimba | Published Mar 25, 2025

Provincial governments are failing to pay R12. 46 billion in supplier invoices, with Eastern Cape responsible for nearly a third of this debt, according to National Treasury. This payment crisis is forcing small businesses to take out loans to survive, with many SMEs eventually shutting down due to cash flow problems caused by government non-payment.