*This article has been amended to add comment from the South African Board of Sheriffs. Whereas Vaalweekblad previously reported that the Krugersdorp sheriff had seized the vehicles (in accordance with a press release from the Emfuleni Local Municipality), it has now been confirmed that the Krugersdorp sheriff’s offices, and specifically sheriff Anet Erasmus, were never involved in the matters reported on in any way. Vaalweekblad herewith corrects the public record and apologises for initially repeating the municipality’s incorrect assertion, and any harm it may have caused.

The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has accused Eskom of using stealth and a Gauteng sheriff to seize – while court proceedings are still underway – a large number of municipal vehicles in a surprise blitzkrieg on R1.3b debt.

The raid, described by ELM as illegal, took place today and has sparked an urgent application in the Johannesburg High Court by ELM to reverse the attachments.

Eskom in recent months gained a court order to attach ELM assets on R1.3b in debt. Although Eskom attached ELM’s bank accounts about two weeks ago, it did not seize any funds.

ELM maintains that Eskom’s actions are illegal as the matter was already before the courts even before today’s attachments.

Now the two feuding state entities are headed to court again over the legality of Eskom’s actions with the sheriff, with ELM arguing that the validity of the original R1.3b judgment was still before the Supreme Court of Appeal and invalidated further action.

ELM also accuses Eskom of disregarding internal governmental processes between state entities to deal with disputes of this nature without resorting to expensive court action.

In response to the allegations, South African Board of Sheriffs’ spokesman, Vincent Nel, did not wish to comment.