Update: Paypoints start going online
The Engen Maranata Garage in town was the first paypoint to go online following a 24 hour collapse of prepaid paypoints through the Steve Tshwete Municipal area.
Other paypoints were expected to be restored during the day as the technical department of the municipality finalized the restoration process.
But it already having a devastating impact on the community as residents have started to report mounting losses and expressed concern regarding security risks.
“Most of us waited to get paid just so that we can buy electricity. Now we have the money but we can’t pay!” said Arno la Grange of Dennesig.
He says that many residents feel their lives have been endangered.
“Our security systems are off and there’s no lights. And still nobody can tell us when the system will be restored again”.
Arno said that he has about R13 000 of meat in his fridge, all of which is starting to get bad.
“Why was there no other plan?”
Another resident was desperate for electricity as her 90 year old father requires an oxygen machine.
There’s also been reports of frustrated members of the public venting anger at the municipal buildings and paypoints throughout town, shouting at workers who have nothing to do with the problem.
Municipal Manager, Mr Mandla Mnguni, said on Thursday afternoon that the technical department was finalizing the system restore, and were conducting final tests to get all paypoints online.
“We apologize to the community for the unplanned outage but are doing everything in our power to get all paypoints in working order again”.
Read previous story here:
Prepaid electricity paypoints go offline
