Electricity utility Eskom has published a notice on the possible disconnection of the bulk electricity supply to Tokologo Local Municipality, Free State, which will result in the bulk electricity supply to Boshof, Seretse, Dealesville and Hertzogville being disconnected for a certain number of hours every day interrupted. from January 31.
The utility says the municipality currently owes it R328.7 million, excluding the current bill of a further R3.68 million which became due on November 20, and that the last payment it received from the municipality was R150 in October. 000. 2021.
“The municipality charges, collects and receives money from its customers for the supply of electricity, but fails to remit the portion due to Eskom. This is at the expense of Eskom and is not sustainable. The municipality is responsible for fulfilling a constitutional obligation, but decides to withhold payments to Eskom.
“Eskom’s decision to continue with the process of disconnecting electricity supply is a last resort to prevent debt from spiraling out of control. The municipality’s breach of its payment obligation to Eskom undermines and jeopardizes Eskom’s ability to continue national operations. Eskom must exercise its right to disconnect electricity supply to the municipality to protect the national interest in sustainable electricity supply and thus support economic growth,” the utility said.
It has invited interested parties to submit written statements, representations and/or comments on why it should or should not reduce, shut down and/or terminate bulk electricity supply points by January 6. After reviewing the comments, the utility plans to make a final decision on or before January 16.
Entries should be addressed to the Senior Advisor Key Sales and Customer Services and sent by email to FSTokologo@eskom.co.za or delivered to 120 Henry Street, Westdene, Bloemfontein.
Eskom says it would appreciate progressive representations, including direct payment by customers or direct delivery by Eskom, given the scale and potential long-term effects of this problem.
Eskom also threatened earlier this month to cut off bulk electricity supplies to the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) from December 14, saying it owed the utility arrears of R4.9 billion.
The ECJ, meanwhile, argued that Eskom had overbilled it to the tune of more than R3.4 billion.
After the intervention of the Minister of Energy and Electricity Kgotsientsho RamokgopaEskom and the ECJ agreed to an independent technical assessment of the billing dispute as a means to reach a long-term resolution.
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