Municipality faces dark times

ESKOM has announced that it will cut the supply of electricity to the Kai !Garib Local Municipality after the local authority, which owes Eskom more that R159 million, failed to honour its payment agreement.

The power utility said yesterday that the interruption would start today and would continue until an agreement had been reached.

“Kai !Garib Local Municipality is currently indebted to Eskom in the amount of R159 230 680.01 for the bulk supply of electricity, part of which has been outstanding and in escalation since August 2013,” the power utility said.

Consumers in Kenhardt will be affected by the planned supply interruptions.

“Eskom urges all electricity consumers affected to make sufficient arrangements to limit personal and business loss and to ensure that effective contingency measures are in place to prevent serious injury or loss of life that might result from scheduled interruptions.”

This week (November 6 2018 – November 12 2018) electricity will be cut to the town from 6am to 8am and again from 5pm to 7.30pm on weekdays. On Saturday and Sunday it will be cut from 8.30am until 11am and again from 3pm until 5.30pm.

From next week (November 13 2018 – November 19 2018) the period of interruption will be extended from 6am to 9am and again from 7pm to 8.30pm in the week and from 8.30am to 12 midday and again from 3pm to 7pm on the weekend.

In week 3 (November 20 2018 until agreement is reached), the electricity will be cut from 6am until 8pm.

“Notwithstanding the above proposed indicative times for the interruption of electricity supply, Eskom may, upon 15 calendar days’ notice, serve the right to disconnect electricity entirely and indefinitely should the electricity debt situation not improve,” Eskom stated.