However, ELM Municipal Manager Lucky Leseane said on Monday a meeting would be requested with the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) for Friday this week to discuss pressing issues of mutual interest.

Leseane did not say whether the meeting would include the EFC, which is a separate activist entity who approached Bhila in its own capacity to initiate discussions on its demands relating at present, especially to electricity strategic infrastructure and supply. EFC CEO Gerhard Janse van Rensburg confirmed this week the ultimatum deadline had passed last Friday without response from Bhila.

Bhila had also not answered by the time of publication this week and declined to comment when approached by Vaalweekblad on Monday. Bhila was recently appointed as Administrator of ELM, which was already under partial administration. However, Bhila has kept a low public profile since his appointment. The EFC ultimatum was sent to Bhila in the midst of a massive electricity crisis confronting business and residents in Vanderbijlpark, which remains unresolved at the time of publication, with huge financial losses to industry and informal business of millions per day.

EFC demands include:
* That ELM allows Eskom to take over its electricity infrastructure for maintenance.
* That a ring-fenced bank account be created for electricity revenue.
* That ELM engages in talks with Eskom to share electricity revenue from Emfuleni.