Vigorous action against electricity theft amid load reduction crisis
Businesses and residents who are in arrears or tamper will face the music
Endumeni Municipality yesterday finally began disconnecting electricity to businesses in the central business district whose accounts are in arrears.
This comes after Eskom throttled power supply to Endumeni with so called load reduction, coupled with load shedding, plunging the area into hours of darkness.
The crisis has pushed many struggling businesses to the brink and infuriated residents who say this was their worst festive season ever.
Endumeni owes Eskom around R79 million and as the Courier reported two weeks ago, out of control meter tampering and illegal connections are impacting hugely on the rising municipal debt to Eskom.
Following a crisis meeting yesterday with councillors, officials, Eskom representatives and government officials, Council Speaker, Andile Nsibande, said the Council will ‘not lift its foot off the pedal until debtors and clients “stealing” electricity start paying for the services.’
This follows a special council meeting held on December 24 which resolved that the municipality should embark on revenue collection and zero tolerance on theft and electricity tampering campaign.
“We have started taking control of the situation by cutting power off to non paying businesses in the industrial area and the CBD and we will move on to government departments as well residential areas. We are all affected by electricity theft and therefore we will leave no stone unturned.” Cllr Nsibande alluded.
He added that Endumeni Council ‘is committed to providing quality services to all its residents and would like to plead with the rate payers to continue paying for their services as we try to honour our obligation with Eskom.’
“The municipality needs to pay R23,7 million before Eskom can reduce hours on load reduction which was reiterated in a meeting urgently called by KZN CoGTA with Eskom and the municipality, in an attempt to intervene and facilitate for an amicable solution. The bilateral negotiation will continue between the municipality and Eskom in pursuit to enter into a new payment arrangement to settle the debt ”
The Courier has received information that several franchise and private businesses are considering their options in Endumeni amid the power crisis with some looking at either consolidating their franchise operation in Newcastle and other towns or temporarily shutting shop until the crisis is ‘normalised’.
