SECUNDA – Govan Mbeki Municipality might be off the hook regarding the bulk electricity supply cut offs by Eskom, but locals can still experience load shedding.
Ms Flora Maboa-Boltman, executive mayor, was tabling the municipal repayment plan for the Eskom debt crisis on Tuesday, 14 March during an extra-ordinary council meeting.
She said the load shedding will be implemented so the municipality can have control over things and to reduce the maximum demand.
Ms Maboa-Boltman said the new agreement that was reached on Thursday, 9 March was that Council will pay R100 million towards its main Eskom account in the next two weeks.
This will come from the equitable shares which are expected to come from the National Treasury on 17 March and they will pay the outstanding balance by 30 March.
According to the mayor, the municipality is also considering making daily payments.
The opposition parties voiced their displeasure with the way the ANC-led municipality is conducting business.
Mr Encee van Hyssteen of the DA said his party told the ANC in 2012 that the crisis will be out of hand one day.
“We spoke in this house that the bad financial management will result in serious problems.
“We came up with ideas on how we can prevent this, but as always the ANC uses their numbers to silence us.
“This ANC lacks political will.”
The DA further required monthly progress report.
Mr Thabiso Mofokeng of the EFF stirred emotions among the ANC councillors after he said Council is unjust and misleading for not allowing the public to buy electricity directly from Eskom.
Ms Maboa-Boltman stood up and reprimanded Mr Mofokeng.
“Immediately when we enter this chamber, we are the council, not a political party.
“We must all speak with one voice and share ideas to improve service delivery.
“Members must not copy things from television and National Parliament and come here to try to implement that bad behaviour.
“They must practice that behaviour in front of their mirror, not in this chamber.”
Speaking to the Ridge Times after the meeting, Ms Maboa-Boltman urged locals to continue paying their municipal accounts and to stop electricity theft.
She said the municipality will continue with Operation Kodiko which collects debts and that those who do not pay their accounts, will face cut offs.
