Three Edenvale primary schools switched off

Spokesperson for the EMM, Mr Themba Gadebe confirmed that instructions were given to “suspend electricity services to all properties which have rates and taxes outstanding” on Thursday.

The three schools which were disconnected are Eastleigh Primary School, Laerskool MW de Wet Primary and Dunvegan Primary School.

The Gauteng Department of Education confirmed that the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Development DID was responsible for paying the rates bills of public schools in the province.

“Schools in the area are responsible for payment of water and electricity accounts. The affected schools were up-to-date with these payments however the property rates are outstanding,” Clr Hart said.

According to information received the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Development (DID) failed to pay property rates for all schools in Edenvale.

“DID owes the EMM a total of R46-million in rates taxes for schools and administrative buildings,” Mr Gadebe said.

According to ward 18 councillor for Edenvale, Clr Heather Hart, one high school had security guards forcibly remove contractors from its premises.

Another school welded a metal sheet to the front of the electrical box.

“Schools cannot operate without electricity. The EMM and the department do not understand the enormous implications of what has happened,” Clr Hart said.

She added that all three the disconnected schools run feeding schemes and hundreds of young children did not receive a warm lunch.

“It is untenable that the metro can even consider doing something like this. I am embarrassed that my metro can do this,” she said.

When Clr Hart contacted officials at Ekurhuleni she was told, “We cannot have people owing us millions”.

Mr Gadebe said that outstanding amount had been in arrears since last year.

“The DID is responsible for the outstanding amount,” he said.

Mr Gadebe added that the department was warned of the impending disconnections.

“We have engaged the relevant department on several occasions to resolve the matter,” he said.

Mr Brendon Black, a parent of two children at Dunvegan Primary School said he was disgusted to hear that all government schools in the Edenvale were earmarked for disconnections.

“What next? This is criminal,” he said.

Electricity restored

On Friday, the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Development confirmed that electricity had been restored to three Edenvale schools.

“Electricity has been restored to all public schools in Edenvale after it was cut off by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) as a credit control measure for debt owed by the Gauteng Provincial Government,” spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Development, Mr Mbangwa Xaba.

He added that the department was only made aware of the situation on Friday.

“This regrettable incident was as a result of administrative misunderstanding between DID and EMM,” Mr Xaba said.

“The municipality had estimated the debt to be in the region of R45 million for all provincial government accounts such as vacant land, schools, residential properties, and other provincial government facilities. However, these accounts were not billed by the city in preceding financial years and no budget was provided for them in the current financial year budget circle,” he added.

The DID head of department met with EMM city manager on Friday and it was agreed that electrical services would be restored to all public schools.

“The departmental head also requested an extension to pay outstanding invoices during the first quarter of the new financial year ending on March 31,” Mr Xaba said.