Govan Mbeki Municipality must pay Eskom R48-m before end of December
Highveld residents might experience power cuts again.
Govan Mbeki Municipality paid Eskom R62 million on their outstanding electricity bill of nearly R500 million on 7 December.
They still owe Eskom R496 million.
Councillors said they do not know where the municipality will get that money from, because they do not have it.
“Govan Mbeki Municipality must pay Eskom R48 million before 31 December,” said Ms Marietjie Fourie, DA councillor.
Eskom said in a press release earlier this year when the municipality experienced power cuts as a result of non-payment, if the municipality does not keep to the payment plan, Eskom will revert back to power cuts and only give 48 hours’ notice.
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/99425/eskom-continues-power-cuts-until-council-pays/
Residents of eMbalenhle set municipal refuse removal trucks and an office of the municipality alight in October after weeks of power cuts.
According to Ms Fourie, Bethal’s electricity has been cut for two weeks for three to four hours every day.
“I understand this is due to overloading and illegal connections.
“A total of 47 per cent of the electricity in our area cannot be accounted for, so we lose R30 million’s worth of electricity every month.”
Govan Mbeki Municipality did not comment.
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