DA threatens legal action against FS municipality for overcharging electricity

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it will be taking legal action against the Mantsopa Local Municipality to stop its “overcharging scheme” for electricity.

Mantsopa electricity charges

According to DA councillor Tania Halse, the opposition party approached lawyers in Bloemfontein to put Mantsopa Local Municipality on terms to implement the Public Protector’s report and correct the current year’s tariff irregularities.

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Public Protector investigation

This after the DA reported the Mantsopa Local Municipality to the Public Protector back in 2018, for charging incorrect electricity tariffs.

The party received a positive result in the form of a report which instructed the municipality to calculate and repay all losses incurred by residents due to incorrect charges.

This had to be done in conjunction with COGTA.

However, the DA says Montsopa municipality – under the leadership of Mayor Mamsie Tsoene – failed to act on these recommendations, leading the DA to take legal action.

Incorrect tariffs

Meanwhile, Halse says the acting Chief Financial Officer, Mogokare Seleke, in July 2022 submitted Nersa figures which did not represent the electricity tariffs adopted by the council in May 2022.

The newly appointed CFO, Takalane Tshikundu, admitted during a Public Accounts Committee meeting in September that the current financial year’s tariffs were recorded and sent to Nersa incorrectly.

He promised, under oath, that the tariffs would be corrected and reversed, and that residents would be reimbursed, but this has yet to be implemented.

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In November 2022, the DA said Mayor Tsoene – and accounting officer Mosisili Lesoetsa – was “aware of and complicit in ignoring the approved electricity tariffs… by requesting Nersa to approve tariffs higher than those adopted in council during the budget meeting held at the end of May.

On Tuesday, Halse said: “We have been forced to take the legal route as it is clear that ANC leaders do not have the work ethic or scruples to stop fraud and corruption in their municipalities.

Municipalities crippling Eskom

The Citizen previously reported on Kopanong municipality’s R14 million wage.

Mantsopa and Kopanong – along with other dysfunctional municipalities, such as Maluti-A-Phofung, Masilonyana, Tokologo, Mafube, and Mohokare – could not fulfil salary obligations.

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As of August 2022, 16 Free State municipalities collectively owed Eskom more than R17 billion, which according to Eskom’s provincial spokesperson, Titi Makhetha, increased by R2.6 billion from the previous year.

At the time, Makhetha said several municipalities had been receiving government grants for Free Basic Electricity (FBE), yet their outstanding debt was “bringing Eskom Free State to its knees”.

Compiled by Cheryl Kahla.