Msukaligwa Business and Community Forum (MB&CF) took a stand against Eskom’s Notified Maximum Demand (NMD) load reduction.

The forum is in process to further hasty legal action.

Mr Andreas Peens, lawyer for the MB&CF addressed a letter to Eskom’s legal team to cease NMD load reduction immediately or face further legal action.

This was set about after his recent writing on 13 November, which stated the applicants in Msukaligwa, Maletswai and Tswaing reached an agreement with Eskom on the further prosecution of applications wherein Eskom is compelled to abandon NMD associated load reductions.

As the applicants’ legal issues were similar, only one case was filed in Maletswaiat the time and Eskom did not issue any ‘counter’ applications against the respective municipalities as ordered on 13 November.

According to the forum, Mr Peens added in his correspondence, it was also a common cause that Eskom, at that stage, halted load reduction associated with NMD, awaiting the outcome of appeals in the Lekwa and Ngwathe case, for which they are awaiting a court date.

The forum further stated Eskom even addressed a letter wherein it undertook to obey the order of Judge Millar, who ruled in favour of Lekwa and Ngwathe, in the meantime.

Mr Peens stated that given the aforesaid, they were under the reasonable belief that Eskom would refrain from NMD in the mentioned municipalities pending the outcome of the Lekwa and Ngwathe appeals.

According to information from MB&CF, Eskom has however, again, began with NMD reductions in Maletswai, Msukaligwa, Tswaing, Lekwa and Ngwathe and on the basis that Eskom, only now resorted back to NMD whilst the aforesaid appeals are pending.

They stated that they were left with no other alternative than to, again, approach the urgent court for appropriate relief.

Mr Peens concluded in light of the pending appeals: “We nonetheless, and as a final resort, again ask that Eskom refrain from reduction in bulk electricity supply linked to outdated NMD levels in the respective municipalities.”

MB&CF and Mr Peens look forward to Eskom’s meaningful response and formal undertaking to suspend load reduction associated with NMD by no later than 10 June at 12pm.

The Highvelder sent media enquiries to Mr Sikonathi Mantshantsha, spokesman of Eskom and awaits response.

Read the complete article in the Highvelder newspaper.