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The dire electricity challenges in the Enoch Mgijima Municipality have reached a tipping point, with electrical poles, boxes and connections exploding or burning down. Local government officials have opted to close ranks and wilfully and literally keep residents, businesses, and councillors in the dark regarding electricity supply and load shedding schedules.

The Municipal Manager should heed a recent court judgement in Bloemfontein, which stated that without a proper verifiable billing system, responsive systems to deal with queries and a system to warn customers of impending action that affect residents and businesses, simply cutting off electricity for any reason is illegal.

The upgrade of the Western Sub-station has already put a huge strain on the electricity supply and impacted very negatively on residents and local businesses.

The council resolved to purchase a thumping machine to detect electrical faults underground, but the Supply Chain Department has ignored this resolution, so workers do not have the tools of trade to effect repairs. The one official with the licence to oversee such works has also been suspended and cannot authorise any repairs and maintenance.

Schools are unable to teach some subjects, indigent residents cannot keep warm during the bitterly cold nights, old age homes are unable to care for the elderly adequately and businesses are unable to operate.

I will write to the Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Xolile Nqatha, and request that he liaises with the national department to ensure that the administration takes the following steps to stabilise the electricity supply to the municipality:

• Communicate regularly with residents and business regarding a time bound plan to restore full electricity provision to all communities.
• Ring-fence and pay Eskom debt monthly.
• Ring-fence sufficient budget to effect the most urgent repairs and apply to National Treasury if necessary to complete a total overhaul of the electricity infrastructure.
• Immediately re-instate regular and accurate electricity billing so that residents and businesses can budget for such.

The DA will continue to fight for the rights of individuals and businesses to access an adequate and constant electricity supply which will allow their homes and businesses to function effectively.

Issued by Jane Cowley, MPL - Enoch Mgijima Constituency Leader