Well done EMLM for paying
We start 2020 commending the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality for sticking to its Eastern Cape High Court order debt repayment agreement with Eskom and our business members; thus ensuring Eskom continues to be restrained from interrupting bulk electricity supply to the municipality ’ s towns, which include Komani, Tarkastad, Molteno, Hofmeyr, Sterkstroom and Whittlesea.
The Let ’ s Talk Komani committee is in possession of the proof of two EMLM debt repayments to Eskom made by municipal manager Nokutula Mgijima - R23m in late December and R144,474 in early January.
By the agreement reached with Eskom, and made an order of court in Makhanda last year, it was incumbent on the MM to provide a local business with these payment receipts.
By the end of March 2020, EMLM must have paid Eskom the first instalment of R30m in terms of the repayment plan, together with its monthly current account.
The total debt stands at just over R242m and must be paid in full to Eskom by July 2022.
Among our 27 nongovernmental participants, we are grateful to business for having taken the role of holding the municipality accountable for its Eskom debt and thus ensuring the town has the bulk energy necessary to secure employment and the services of hospitals, schools and charities which take care of the most vulnerable.
While relieved the town continues to keep its lights on, we are mindful that EMLM ’ s equitable share was used to pay Eskom and is unavailable to provide sorely-needed basic services to poor households and to perform basic administrative and governance capacities.
The equitable share is a financial allocation from national treasury to ensure municipalities with limited own resources can perform core municipal functions.
While the debt repayment is progress, civil society in Komani finds the state of the town ’ s basic service delivery absolutely deplorable and we urgently seek a meeting with the mayor to address what the community leaders, with a large professional skill set, could do to assist the management team to get EMLM back on its feet.”