BETHAL – With the current electricity woes in Bethal and eMzinoni, residents and businesses are taking strain with damages to electrical appliances, as well coughing up to pay for generators and fuel consumption.
The Ridge Times spoke to a few business people to find out how the current electricity crisis has been affecting them financially.
Ms Jackie Els, butchery manager of Deon’s Slaghuis, said they have more than 10 display fridges, of which four have had to be replaced or repaired due to damages caused by power interruptions.
They have also had to replace tills and scales, this all due to the electricity that is constantly going on and off.
“There have been a lot of damages and we are not being compensated.”
They have had thousands of Rands’ worth of damage to electrical appliances due to the continuous power interruptions. This does not even include the amount they have to daily spend on diesel for the backup generator.
Ms Els said they have resorted to keeping the minimal stock as they have lost plenty previously to fridges being broken due to power cuts.
“We can’t take the chance of losing more stock.”
The owner of the N17 Corner Café and Takeaway said he is concerned for other fast food outlets, as they do not have generators big enough to run their businesses.
“They are taking a knock. I don’t think they are going to survive if it continues like this.”
He went on to say that even though business has picked up with people buying more takeaways from him because they are unable to cook, the expense of running his generator is more than R16 000 a month. This is above his monthly electric bill. He has also endured damages to his fridges and camera system due to the continuous on and off of electricity.
“GMM must stop blaming. If they have an issue of illegal connections then that is their problem, not mine. If my next-door neighbour is not paying for his electricity, cut him off, don’t punish me if I’m paying, and punish those who don’t!”
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Estate agents are also said to be running at huge losses as people no longer want to rent or buy in Bethal.
A resident said on the Bethal & eMzinoni Community for Services Facebook page that after eight years, he is now considering selling his property, even if it means at a loss, just to get out of town.
“We are all gatvol of this incompetent municipality. Who would want to buy and settle in this town now?”
Well-known estate agent, Mr Louis Kruger, said he has lost two guaranteed house deals.
“All bonds were approved, however, after the clients heard about the electricity situation, they did not want to invest in property in Bethal anymore,” said Mr Kruger.
The only way to continue business for Mr Brian Brophy, BTB Technical Services, was to invest in a 50KVA generator, costing him nearly R200 000. This is without the daily cost incurred for diesel.
“With Covid-19 everybody went into a recession. Now that we are back to business, I’m unable to get my work out, because of no electricity. I am running machines on a daily basis, so I had to make that call for me to continue,” said Mr Brophy.
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One of many arguments raised is that the municipality has not given residents clear indication as to a load shedding schedule.
The Ridge Times has requested time schedules from Mr Benzi Soko, spokesman of the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
Electricity can go off at any time – from twice a day to 12 times, ranging from minutes to hours and in some cases, for days.
“Right now the municipality is giving us blatant lies, why is the schedule not been made public?
“It has cost me more than R18 000 in diesel, this is over and above my municipal bill,” said Mr Ziyaad Dangor.
“As Mr Benzi Soko blames Apartheid for the electricity woes, I am blaming the municipality for the oppression of the people they are supposed to serve.
“This is oppression of the highest level, not Apartheid,” ended Mr Dangor.
