SANCO Free State Calls upon Eskom To Suspend the decision to cut off Electricity

While 8 municipalities mostly in the Free State province, will see on Monday 16 January, whether their electricity supply will be cut by Eskom on certain times due to the municipalities’ arrear accounts, the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the Free State Province  called upon Eskom to suspend the decision to cut the electricity supply to  municipalities in the province .

SANCO believes there are other ways to go about recuperating the money other than switching off power .  Eskom should note that basic services such as water and electricity  are essential to our communities and institutions such as clinics and hospitals will suffer due to this decision. 

SANCO believes it is government’s moral duty, as enshrined in the Constitution, to ensure that everyone has access to the basic services they need to improve their lives. SANCO Free State calls on Eskom to give National  and Provincial Department of Cogta  a chance to assess the situation and develop financial management capacities for those municipalities who owe them.. 

SANCO notes that even those communities who pay electricity will be affected . Sanco calls on residents who are in arrears to  pay their services and those who are  unemployed to visit municipal offices for the indegency register .

SANCO Free State calls Eskom to be sensetive on this matter and  that cutting off electricity will not only affect the people but also the economy and jobs . The decision will further add to negative investor confidence in the province . If companies are not getting electricity they will not pay other taxes and it will result to increase of high unemployment rate which this country is facing.. 

SANCO further calls on communities to be watchdogs and exposed those who steal electricity by means of illegal connections and bridging meter readings. 

Ngwathe municipality of which Parys, Vredefort, Heilbron, Edenville and Koppies forms part, will hear at the end of January what Eskom’s final decision is for Ngwathe with earlier notices warning electricity supply to be cut on certain times daily as from February 7, 2017.