Msukaligwa say Eskom debt is being paid and up to date

According to Msukaligwa Municipality, their payment agreement with power utility giant, Eskom, is still in place and the account is up to date.

Eskom warns members of the community of a job scam.

According to Msukaligwa Municipality, their payment agreement with power utility giant, Eskom, is still in place and the account is up to date.

Also read: Unplanned Water Shutdown left residents of Ermelo dry

The Highvelder enquired at the municipality if Msukaligwa is facing power cuts.

Municipal spokesman, Mr Zwane, assured the public that the municipality is fulfilling its side of the agreement.

Eskom published a notice of intention to interrupt bulk electricity supply to Ermelo on 25 November 2016 because the municipality was indebted to in the amount of R139-million for the bulk supply of electricity, part of which has been outstanding and escalating since February 2011.

Eskom began with the interruption of supply in February last year, leaving consumers facing hours on end with no electricity.

The municipality entered into a payment plan with Eskom, however, the plan was in danger of falling through when Eskom again notified Msukaligwa of its intention to interrupt supply on 9 October due to the municipality not honouring the agreement.

At the time, municipal spokesman, Mr Zwane, said the municipality was paying Eskom, but it was not enough.

He also said that there was an agreement in principle with Eskom of which certain clauses were not agreed upon.

However, the power cuts were averted after negotiations between the two parties.

As it stands, Msukaligwa owes the power utility more than R85-million.

According to Mr Zwane, as of March 2018, the municipality has complied with the agreement and the account is paid accordingly.

“The current account ranges from R10-million to R14-million a month,” Mr Zwane said.

Mr Zwane, however, stressed that the municipality is concerned the account will double during the winter as previously experienced.

This, he said, is caused by the increase in consumption, excessive penalties for high usage by Eskom and the increase of illegal connections, to name a few.

The municipality appealed to consumers to report any illegal connections to the municipal call centre.