Lights stay on in Albert Luthuli
The municipality pleaded with the community to pay for their services
Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality has averted the envisaged interruption of bulk electricity supply that was scheduled for Monday.
In a meeting between the Highvelder, Executive Mayor Mr D. Nkosi and Acting Municipal Manager Mr M. Dlamini last Thursday, Mr Nkosi said there was no need for panic as they had successfully met their financial obligation with the power utility.
In October last year, Council for Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality approved a payment plan to Eskom and has since made several payments to reduce the debt.
Since December last year, the municipality has made four payments totalling R27,5 million to the power utility company.
In December last year, a R16 million payment was made, another R3 million was paid in the first week of this month, another payment of R3 million was paid last Monday and a final payment of R5.5 million was paid last Wednesday.
Eskom has since issued a letter of which the Highvelder has a copy, notifying the municipality that they had averted the envisaged interruption.
Mr Nkosi explained that the municipality still owed Eskom an amount of R11 million towards the Carolina Silobela accounts, which will be paid as per agreed payment plan.
Part of the payment terms includes a monthly payment of R2 million towards servicing the current account.
When asked where the municipality found the money to pay Eskom, Mr Nkosi said the monies were recovered through their revenue recovery and enhancement plan, which included correct billing of accounts, surprise visits, inspections to business establishments and households and cutting off electricity to those with overdue accounts.
Mr Dlamini said during their visits to businesses, they established that some of the business meters were not in working order, which caused a loss to the municipality, as they ended up subsidising electricity for businesses.
He added that the installation of smart metering had also contributed to improving the consumer payments.
A task team has also been established to look into improving revenue collection and the municipality warned that anyone found guilty of illegally connecting electricity would be slapped with an R8 000 fine and their services disconnected.
The municipality pleaded with the community to pay for their services so that the municipality can meet its obligations and continue rolling out quality service delivery.
