The Talana Museum complex and adjacent Kwakunje traditional tourist village remain without electricity after Eskom cut the power on Monday, citing non-payment by Endumeni Municipality.

While the Talana Museum complex receives its main electricity supply directly from Eskom, the museum and tenants at Miner’s Rest restaurant and Kwakunje purchase prepaid electricity through Endumeni Municipality to keep their facilities operating.

Security concerns as darkness falls

Cllr Salem Abdool, an executive committee member, said he had been in contact with Eskom officials and Endumeni municipal management, but the municipality had yet to settle the R35 000 owed on the account.

Endumeni’s total Eskom debt is now more than half a billion rand.

Pam McFadden, treasurer of the Talana Board of Trustees, said she was particularly concerned about security at the museum once darkness fell.

The power cut is also threatening planned tourism activity.

Three busloads of overseas tourists are due to visit the museum next week. If the electricity remains off, Roz Evans of Miner’s Rest restaurant said she will have to use a generator to keep the kitchen operating.

Appeal made to Treasury

An appeal has been made to the KwaZulu-Natal Treasury in a bid to secure payment of the immediate Eskom debt and restore the electricity supply.

The latest crisis follows reports that the municipality had lost access to the internet after failing to pay its service provider.

Municipal services affected

The internet outage means residents cannot purchase prepaid electricity at municipal offices, while other services, including car licence renewals and municipal transactions, have also been affected.

Electricity can still be purchased from private vendors, while vehicle licence renewals can be completed through the NaTIS portal.

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