/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The community of Dealesville, situated in the incompetent municipality of Tokologo, is facing the repercussions of Eskom's load reduction strategy. During stage 4 load-shedding, Dealesville experiences up to 10-12 hours without electricity daily, compared to the national average of 6 hours. Adding to the woes of regular load-shedding, Dealesville now endures an extra 2 hours of darkness after each load-shedding episode due to its limited 600kva capacity usage allowed by Eskom. Winter exacerbates the situation as energy consumption rises with the need for heating, cooking, and lighting.

The impact of electricity shortages extends to water availability, as the community relies on boreholes powered by electricity. Consequently, there are days or even a week when the water supply is disrupted, leaving residents without essential services.

Initially, the 600kva capacity was meant for the town area only, leaving other parts of the community, like Dikgalaope, without adequate capacity. The municipality was supposed to apply for additional capacity from Eskom for Dikgalaope, but the request was denied due to Tokologo's outstanding debt of over R208 million, overdue by more than 90 days.

The DA has raised questions about this dire situation with the acting Municipal Manager, who pointed out that residents might be consuming more electricity than allowed by Eskom. The municipality plans to conduct a meter audit to identify any bypassed or illegal connections to the electricity grid.

The Democratic Alliance is closely monitoring the situation and seeking clarity from the Mayor on the municipality's current account status. We are determined to resolve this issue for the benefit of the community and to ensure businesses in the area are not adversely affected. Additionally, we aim to address the use of prepaid metering systems to improve accountability.

Issued by Hismajesty Maqhubu - DA Councillor Tokologo Local Municipality