Clinics in Parys, Tumahole, and Schonkenville were left without electricity on February 18 after the Ngwathe Local Municipality disconnected the electricity supply over unpaid municipal service accounts. According to information, clinics owe the municipality a substantial amount in overdue service accounts, which adds to the municipality’s ongoing challenge with payment disputes with government departments.

Although the clinics fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health, the Department of Public Works is responsible for the payment of electricity for these clinics.

It has since been confirmed by Mondli Mvambi, spokesperson for Department of Health in the Free State, that all clinics affected were reconnected the same day after disconnection.

According to the Department of Public Works, the matter of outstanding municipal service accounts for clinics has been escalated to the office of the Provincial Director General (DG).

The department also confirmed discussions between the Head of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, the Provincial DG, and the Department of Treasury to find a lasting solution to the matter. Apart from clinics in Parys, Tumahole, and Schonkenville, clinics in other municipal areas within the Fezile Dabi district had similar issues with the disconnecting of electricity supply due to overdue municipal service accounts. This included the Sasolburg Clinic in the Metsimaholo Municipality, and Heilbron Town Clinic in Ngwathe, Mvambi said.

Mvambi said health services to the public were not affected as the electricity was cut late in the afternoon. He added that no damage to vaccines of medication were reported because the clinics’ fridges keep temperature at normal ranges for 48 hours when there is no electricity supply.

The Ngwathe Local Municipality earlier said government departments owe the municipality over R250m and efforts, including notices issued last year, resulted in a payment of only R8,8m. This has resulted in continued operations by Ngwathe to audit electricity consumption and usage focussing on large business entities. Apart from the clinics, a visit to the construction site of the Parys Correctional Service Centre in January, resulted in the disconnection of the electricity supply on this site after the technical team discovered that internal wiring in occupied buildings did not conform to SANS standards.