Eskom will go ahead with its threat to cut off Makhanda (Grahamstown) on April 2.
This is despite businesses in Makhanda and the the Grahamstown Residents’ Association (GRA) approaching the Grahamstown High Court last week seeking an urgent interdict to avoid the switch-off.
Attorney Brin Brody, who is acting on behalf of the GRA, Grahamstown Business Forum and the businesses said the matter had been set down to be argued on Thursday.
In March, Makana municipality owed Eskom R84m from 2013.
On Wednesday, Eskom spokesperson Zama Mpondwana said Makana had made a payment, but it was too little.
In a short statement, Mpondwana said: “Eskom confirms that Makana local municipality has made some payment towards its bulk electricity debt on Friday.
“However, the payment falls short of the amount the municipality is required to pay to avert the electricity supply interruptions scheduled to start on Tuesday, 2 April 2019.”
The cut-off date was announced by Eskom on March 14. Eskom said they would switch off the academic town for 14 hours a day.
In a statement to the Dispatch on Friday, Makana mayor Mzukisi Mphahlwa said the city had dire financial problems.
Mphahlwa said: “We are planning to pay an amount of R12.6m to Eskom this month. We will also seek to renegotiate our payment plan to ensure that we can afford to make monthly payments to Eskom.
“Once this payment is made we don’t expect Eskom to go ahead with bulk supply interruptions.”
Mphahlwa said Makana was paying its Eskom bills out of its equitable share (money it gets from the National Treasury), which he said was unsustainable.
He said the municipality was supposed to pay Eskom out of the sale of electricity to residents
Makhanda fights to stay lit up
Image: Alan Eason
Eskom will go ahead with its threat to cut off Makhanda (Grahamstown) on April 2.
This is despite businesses in Makhanda and the the Grahamstown Residents’ Association (GRA) approaching the Grahamstown High Court last week seeking an urgent interdict to avoid the switch-off.
Attorney Brin Brody, who is acting on behalf of the GRA, Grahamstown Business Forum and the businesses said the matter had been set down to be argued on Thursday.
In March, Makana municipality owed Eskom R84m from 2013.
On Wednesday, Eskom spokesperson Zama Mpondwana said Makana had made a payment, but it was too little.
In a short statement, Mpondwana said: “Eskom confirms that Makana local municipality has made some payment towards its bulk electricity debt on Friday.
“However, the payment falls short of the amount the municipality is required to pay to avert the electricity supply interruptions scheduled to start on Tuesday, 2 April 2019.”
The cut-off date was announced by Eskom on March 14. Eskom said they would switch off the academic town for 14 hours a day.
In a statement to the Dispatch on Friday, Makana mayor Mzukisi Mphahlwa said the city had dire financial problems.
Mphahlwa said: “We are planning to pay an amount of R12.6m to Eskom this month. We will also seek to renegotiate our payment plan to ensure that we can afford to make monthly payments to Eskom.
“Once this payment is made we don’t expect Eskom to go ahead with bulk supply interruptions.”
Mphahlwa said Makana was paying its Eskom bills out of its equitable share (money it gets from the National Treasury), which he said was unsustainable.
He said the municipality was supposed to pay Eskom out of the sale of electricity to residents
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