Still no resolution for electricity disputes

Disputes reported on previously by the Highvelder about unreasonably high electricity accounts of certain businesses still continue.

According to Mr Ruan Lottering from AfriForum, businesses and private dwellings are being billed against high block tariffs, because the municipality’s technical team has omitted to adapt the meters and breakers where necessary and because meters are not read correctly.

It is also his opinion that the municipality’s top management refuses to act in the interest of the public and that members of the technical team are not competent to perform their duties.

At a meeting held between AfriForum and the legal department of Msukaligwa Municipality in December last year to resolve the ongoing disputes about electricity accounts of businesses in Ermelo, AfriForum was instructed to submit the complaints accompanied by explanations and recommendations to Msukaligwa Municipality.

Mr Lottering mailed the relevant information to Mr M. Mandonsela, legal advisor of Msukaligwa, on 10 December last year.

On 16 January, after no response or solution was received, Mr Lottering sent another letter to Mr Mandonsela requesting an explanation as to why nothing has been resolved yet.

In this letter he also referred to two businesses where resolution seemed obvious.

According to Mr Lottering, he received a call from Mr Mandonsela to say he did not know where the letter was.

Mr Lottering then re-sent the e-mail of 10 December and will be in Ermelo at the end of the month to meet with the relevant municipal parties.

In response Mr Mandla Zwane, municipal spokesman, confirmed that AfriForum had to submit a letter of complaint and said that according to their legal department they never received a letter as agreed.

According to Mr Zwane most of the disputes were resolved with the exception of two businesses.