Madam –
The recent bombshell announcement from Eskom, regarding the suspension of power to Newcastle Municipality for non-payment, refers.
Regardless of the outrage that many residents may be feeling at this announcement, clear heads are now needed. For what it is worth, here is my (non-legal) take on the situation.
Let’s forget, for a moment, the people illegally connected to the Eskom grid, who are stealing power, and the metered electricity users, including many senior municipal staff, who seemingly neglect to pay for electricity, and yet, who’s electricity is never cut off for non-payment or arrears.
Let us focus on the loyal band of responsible ratepayers and tenants, who pay their municipal accounts on time, every month.
These residents are the only parties to the arrangement who have upheld their part of the bargain.
It is precisely this group who will suffer the most should the electricity supply be withheld.
Now, let us look at the relationship between Eskom and Newcastle Municipality.
Eskom is a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) and is a wholly owned part of the State infrastructure of the Republic of South Africa.
Newcastle Municipality is branch of the local government of the State of the Republic of South Africa.
All money entering the State Coffers, falls under the responsibility of the State. Only after money has left the State purse, does is cease to be the responsibility of the State.
Imagine, if you will, a very large pair of trousers. This is the National Treasury, where the State’s treasure (money) is held on behalf of the people of this country (us).
Money can be moved from one pocket to another, again and again, yet still, it remains in the same trousers. Ratepayers money then, goes in the left back pocket.
When the time comes, some of this money is taken out of this pocket, and placed in the front right-hand pocket, let’s call that the Eskom pocket. But do you notice that the money never left the trousers.It became State money as soon as it entered the trousers.
Now, when I go into the café to buy a pack of cigarettes, I pay my money, I take my purchase. That is the law.
If the Manager stops me from taking my cigarettes because the cash hasn’t yet gone from the till-point to the cash-office, he can expect a slap in the mouth, not a discussion about cash flows.
So why are the diligent and responsible residents of Newcastle having their electricity supply threatened?
This is a spat between two Government departments we are witnessing, and we are the pawns in the middle, as usual.
Worse than that, we read that SEVEN agreements have been made by these two Government departments, and all SEVEN agreements have been broken.
The incompetent person in charge of Finance in the Municipality and the incompetent person in charge of Finance at Eskom, both report to the same boss, somewhere up the line of command.
He is the biggest incompetent of the three, because he is allowing one of his employees to threaten Taxpayers (us) for the blatant dereliction of duties of another of his employees, after SEVEN, separate, legitimate orders to comply. This is incompetence on a grand scale.
Newcastle residents should be demanding the immediate dismissal of the Head of Finance, and the whole Finance Committee.
One has to assume that proper disciplinary procedures were followed after each broken agreement with Eskom, meaning that they should now have had: Verbal counselling; First Written warning: Final written warning up to FIFTH Final written warning.
Dismissal should therefore be immediate, and simple. COGTA must then bash a few heads together to ensure that OUR money is taken from the Municipality pocket and placed in the Eskom pocket where it belongs, and to stop threatening innocent bystanders, while trying to cover up their own manifest incompetence.
Not in the dark
The letter above was sent to Dr Dumisani Thabethe, Head of Communications for the Newcastle Municipality, for comment. At the time of publication, no response was given – Ed.
ALSO READ: Eskom rejects Newcastle’s payment offer
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