R74k Eskom bill slammed

A CAPE Town woman received a nasty electric shock of a different kind when Eskom sent her a R74 000 bill.

And when Wendy Manuel questioned them‚ their gloves came off – but the National Energy Regulator (Nersa) stepped into the fight and gave Eskom a smack.

After the matter was reported to the public protector, the protector instructed Nersa to act as a mediator in the matter after it found Eskom officials appeared to have “fabricated an affidavit” which accused Manuel of tampering with her meter box.

Because Manuel refused to pay the bill‚ her power was cut for more than a year. Her business‚ one of the first black femaleowned engineering companies‚ went bankrupt.

“I’m at home without a job‚ my son is at home without a job and my husband is a labourer.”

Manuel said her husband, Sean van der Poll, was now working for one of their former clients, to whom they’d had to sell engineering machines.

Manuel’s fight with the power utility began in 2008 when she was slapped with a R19 000 bill.

Eskom claimed this included an accumulated amount she was not billed for between 2004 and 2008. The figure climbed to R74 000 last year due to interest.

Last week, Nersa issued a damning report against Eskom.

Nersa submitted that it was “difficult” to comprehend how Eskom had failed to bill Manuel for almost four years.

“It is further beyond comprehension that she visited Eskom several times to request her bills and the same never triggered Eskom to look into the account‚” the report read.

The report‚ which was requested by the public protector‚ gives settlement options to Manuel and Eskom. These include writing off the amount she owes.

“I’m waiting on the final report from the public protector. After that I’m suing for damages‚” Manuel said. — DDC their