eMBALENHLE – Govan Mbeki Municipality’s executive mayor, Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, pleaded with residents to pay for services because the municipality does not have money.
Mr Zuma said this at a recent public meeting in eMbalenhle after receiving questions about eMbalenhle’s electricity upgrade.
The residents wanted to know when the Bracken substation was going to supply electricity to the area.
“We are still having a problem with Eskom. We owe the power utility R2,3-billion.
“Residents owe R2,2-billion in outstanding debt. Now Eskom wants its money. That is why we request our community to pay for services rendered to them. Our municipality is in a bad financial state, our spending exceeds what we have,” said Mr Zuma.
He said Bigen Africa has begun to connect electricity at the ring-feed substation 3 and will begin with the foundation for the new permanent transformer soon. Mr Zuma hopes the work will be completed within two months.
Mr Zuma urged eMbalenhle residents to be patient as the municipality is trying to change their electricity crisis.
eMbalenhle residents have begun to feel the winter municipal load shedding.
Residents said since 2019 they have heard the Bracken substation will solve the electricity problems at eMbalenhle.
“We want Eskom to take over the electricity supply to eMbalenhle.
“We see that Mr Zuma is capable of bringing changes in this municipality but electricity and water issues can make him fail,” said Mr Fikile Mdedyana, a resident.
“We need an investigation into this where all the money has gone,” said Mr Mdedyana.
