Councils get stay of electrocution
PAYMENT PLANS: MUNICIPALITIES AVOID ESKOM CUTS
Power utility to begin reducing electricity to those who are in debt.
Eskom yesterday started cutting back the electricity supply to the Ventersdorp and Naledi municipalities in the North West and warned that numerous other municipalities would follow suit within the next two weeks unless they came up with viable payment plans to cover their outstanding debts.
Eskom said in a statement it had suspended planned supply interruptions after receiving payments and agreed on payment plans with Nketoana, Nala, Tokologo Mantsopa, Dihlabeng and Masilonyana municipalities in the Free State, the Walter Sisulu municipality in the Eastern Cape and Mamusa in the North West province.
“We have always emphasised the fact that electricity interruptions are the last resort available to us. We are immensely encouraged by the kind of response we are witnessing presently,” Eskom’s acting CEO Matshela Koko said.
Koko said Eskom would be monitoring strict adherence to the payment plans.
“The time has come for the outstanding overdue debt to be honoured in full. Eskom is bent on ensuring that this happens for the benefit of not only Eskom but the entire South African economy,” he said.
He warned that municipalities would have to make cash payments, give a written undertaking in the form of a council resolution that current accounts would be paid going forward and come up with a payment plan for the arrears if they wanted to avoid supply interruptions.
He stressed that Eskom had the right to effect 100% electricity disconnections on non-payment, but opted for a less invasive method of collection.
Eskom will be reducing electricity to the Ubuntu and Renosterberg municipalities in the Northern Cape and Ledwaba-Teemane, Maquassi Hills, Madibeng and Kgetleng Rivier municipalities in North West tomorrow.
Mkhondo (including Piet Retief), eMalahleni (including Witbank), Mbombela (including Nelspruit and White River), Lekwa (Standerton), Msukaligwa (Ermelo) and the Chief Albert Luthuli (Caroline Town and Silobela) face similar steps from January 23.