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The communications manager of Musina Municipality, Wilson Dzebu, has assured local communities that Eskom will not cut electricity to the border town.    

No Eskom power cut at Musina

 

Community members, the business sector and various stakeholders that procure electricity directly from the Musina Municipality are relieved after the announcement that Eskom has suspended the bulk electricity supply interruption that was scheduled to have started on Monday this week (19 November). 

In a public notice that was published in Limpopo Mirror on Friday, 2 November, Eskom stated its intention to interrupt the power supply to Musina Municipality at intervals between 06:00 and 20:00 daily and thereafter indefinitely, should the municipality’s debt situation not improve.

Municipal spokesperson Wilson Dzebu said Eskom had sent an official notification to the municipality last Friday (16 November) that they had suspended the interruption because the municipality had paid the required amount. “I can safely say without contradiction that the power supply will not be disconnected to our communities. We acknowledge that the world is facing tough economic challenges and the municipality is also part of that unpleasant situation. Our people must rest assured that the lights will be kept on because the leadership of the municipality is doing its best to redress the situation.”

Dzebu said the municipality had entered into a comprehensive payment arrangement with Eskom. “We have committed to honour our commitment and hope to settle the debt at the end of March next year. We have done our best to make sure that the debt is reduced drastically during the past years. When the current Council took over two years ago, the municipality was owing Eskom over R140 million. Last year, we reduced the debt to R100 million. In May this year, we were owing Eskom R72,2 million. In July, our debt stood at R53,6 million. This clearly demonstrates that we are very serious about paying off this debt.”

Dzebu said many concerned community members and stakeholders had demanded to know why the municipality owed Eskom while most of the consumers were on prepaid systems. “There are many factors that have led to this situation. Those who are on prepaid only use electricity for their individual consumption. However, there are many electricity costs that go directly to the account of the municipality. We have more than 3 000 poor people who get free electricity from the municipality monthly. We have hundreds of street, flood and Apollo lights that burn all night long every day and the consumption is paid by the municipality.” He added that the water pumps in their pump station at the Limpopo River operated 24 hours daily and the electricity was paid by the municipality. “These are just a few examples of the services that the municipality pays to Eskom on a monthly basis.”

He urged community members to use electricity sparingly and report any illegal connections to either the police or the municipality.

 

 

Date:23 November 2018

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