Modimolle-Mookgophong lights stay on for the meantime

Following a ruling by the Limpopo High Court on Friday, 15 November, residents of Modimolle have been assured that Eskom will not interrupt electricity supplies as it had initially threatened.

Modimolle-Mookgophong Mayor Marlene Van Staden said this was a sequel to a ruling by the High Court in Limpopo division, which dictates that pending the final adjudication of the matter between
the two parties, Eskom is prohibited from interrupting or terminating the bulk electricity supply.

“The court dispute arises from the fact that in August this year Eskom notified the municipality that it would go ahead with scheduled electricity supply interruptions, as a result of the non-payment of its account,” Van Staden said.

She said the Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality had approached the High Court in September, after Eskom issued a notice that there were intentions to impose electricity supply interruptions.

The Mayor said the municipality has made great strides this year, in a bid to improve its revenue collection through electricity services and will continue to do so in 2020.

“The Court acknowledged the steps that the municipality has taken to address its outstanding debt to Eskom and ordered that the municipality continue with its plans until the final adjudication
of the matter,” she added.

Part of the solutions was ring-fencing of all money from electricity sales, which enables the municipality to make weekly payments to Eskom of 60% of all money received in respect of
electricity sales.

The municipality has so far managed to make weekly payments to Eskom totalling close to R10 million.

“The attorneys responsible for the success is Geyser&Ferreira, a locally-based firm and we are very grateful for all the work they have done so far,” she said.

— The BEAT