Emalahleni Local Municipality will again have to beg Eskom to be patient and keep the lights on.
Currently the municipality owes Eskom R1 080-billion.
On the downside, residents owe the municipality R2.4-billion and nearly 70 000 have outstanding accounts with the municipality.
Since the interruption by Eskom in March a lot has happened and various initiations continued and or initiated to move the municipality to a position of sustainable energy supply.
The Vodacom programme is perhaps the most noticeable initiative and as reported in the media a roll out of 17 000 prepaid meters have started while a further replacement of 27 000 prepaid metres with low or zero sales have also now been added.
“By September we anticipate a significant improvement in the recovery of costs associated with electricity supply,” Mr Theo van Vuuren municipal manager said with confidence.
“However, we are not out of the woods yet, and we are still facing difficult times to keep our affairs with Eskom in order. With electricity consumption sky rocketing in this cold period, the resistance from and apathy of many residents to pay for electricity continue. Again we are falling short on covering our monthly accounts.”
To add to this frustration Van Vuuren said crime syndicates are also operational and are preventing cut-offs or are reconnecting non payers, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the current programmes. In addition the rate at which transformers are damaged by vandalism and overload is further draining resources. The incentives scheme to encourage people to pay their arrears also only had partial success.
“The land sale, which is aimed at covering the Eskom debt has also proven to be protractile, forcing us to review and re-advertise,” Van Vuuren said.
Looking ahead, not all is doom and gloom as the formalisation and electrification programmes are on track; more than 45 000 prepaid metres will be replaced within three months.
“The collaboration with PowerX is busy with the development of energy efficient alternatives. Highveld Steel has reopened its doors. Hopefully Vanchem will follow soon, and this will have a positive impact on employment,” Van Vuuren said.
“To keep the light on will be easy if we all play a part,” Van Vuuren concluded
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https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/93056/bright-ideas-help-save-electricity/
