Makana faces Eskom blackout

GRAHAMSTOWN faces a complete blackout a few weeks after Rhodes University students return for the new academic year.

Eskom announced yesterday that it would switch its bulk electricity supply off in February, as the municipality has failed to settle its accumulating R58million electricity bill.

The outstanding bill has been accumulating since January last year.

Last month, Eskom issued the same warning to three other Eastern Cape municipalities which it plans to black out in January, if a combined debt of R143-million is not settled.

They are the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality (Alice, Fort Beaufort and Bedford), Walter Sisulu Municipality (Aliwal North, Burgersdorp and Steynsburg) and Beyers Naude Municipality (Graaff-Reinet and Aberdeen.

Eskom said in a notice yesterday it would cut off electricity in Grahamstown at intervals from February 3.

The planned interruption will result in temporary disconnection between 6am and 8am on weekdays, and again between 5pm and 7.30pm.

Should the cash-strapped council fail to deal with its debt, the power utility said it would effect a complete blackout.

Last year, Eskom threatened to shut Makana down over a R60-million debt, and Bhisho bailed it out.

Rhodes University will reopen for supplementary exams on January 23.