Court order keeps lights on
AFTER facing two weeks of crippling electricity cuts, it was the residents of Barkly West and Delportshoop that took matters into their own hands to ensure that the lights were switched back on by approaching the Northern Cape High Court.
The residents obtained an interim order from the court, ordering Eskom to restore electricity supply to the Dikgatlong Municipality.
The order, brought forward by Barkly West and Delportshoop residents, was heard on Monday and shortly thereafter Eskom announced that scheduled interruptions, which would have seen the entire Dikgatlong Municipality without power for 14 hours per day from yesterday, would be suspended.
The Northern Cape High Court ordered that the Premier of the Northern Cape, Sylvia Lucas, impose a recovery plan aimed at securing the municipality’s ability to meet its obligations to provide basic services and financial commitments.
The Dikgatlong Municipality currently owes Eskom more than R61 million, which led to the power interruptions.
The recovery plan binds the Dikgatlong Municipality in the exercise of its legislative and executive authority but only to the extent to solve the crisis in its financial affairs.
It also orders the dissolution of the municipal council in the event that the municipality cannot or does not approve legislative measures to give effect to the recovery plan.
The order further states that if the municipality’s council is dissolved, the premier must approve a temporary budget or revenue-raising measures or any other measures giving effect to the recovery plan to provide for the continued functioning of the municipality.
Eskom was ordered to restore the electricity supply to Dikgatlong Municipality, pending the finalisation of the temporary budget, as long as the municipality meets its reciprocal financial obligations in terms of it paying its current account, as and when due, and complies with its own written agreement with Eskom.
The respondents, namely the Dikgatlong Municipality, Eskom and the premier of the Northern Cape, as well as the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and the Minister of Energy, have until July 13 to show just cause why the above orders should not be made final.