Last Thursday,  opposition councillors in Ngwathe complained that the mayoral task team (MTT) on Eskom was not meeting regularly to tackle the municipality’s outstanding debt of almost R800 million to Eskom. DA councillor, Jaco la Cock pointed out that Ngwathe Municipality’s Eskom debt was the third highest in the Free State – and fourth in the country. He asked if Ngwathe’s proposed turn-around plan had been  finalised, as municipalities throughout the country face electricity cuts.
The municipal manager (MM), Mr Bruce Kannemeyer said an agreement had been signed with Eskom but some points still has to be finalised. He said power cut threats does not apply to Ngwathe at this stage as the municipality paid a total of R10 million to the power utility during July and August. In July, Ngwathe’s Council had agreed to buy split meters and had  tasked the MTT with investigating the viability of the project fully and regularly reporting to the council. La Cock asked why there was no such report last week.
The MM then undertook to ensure that a report would be submitted to council. La Cock wanted to know why a meter audit had not been done before tenders for procurement and installation of meters had been advertised. He also asked if problem areas had been identified, and if there is an implementation plan for the project before buying the meters?’   In response, Kannemeyer said the municipality would first buy the meters and then do the audit, arguing that it could not be done while the meters were being installed because ‘you can’t work on the car while it is moving’.
Council  discussed at length deviations and irregular expenditure. The Auditor-General will be at the next meeting to explain certain discrepan-cies in the deviations and irregular expenditure report.