/ 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.

Amidst the ongoing feud between Mohokare Local Municipality and Centlec, the residents find themselves in the dark due to a lack of electricity.

The community of Mohokare, as direct customers of Centlec, are entitled to service, irrespective of the ongoing disagreements between the two entities.

However, Centlec has taken an unfortunate stance, directing residents to the Municipality when seeking assistance, and providing no contact numbers. Upon contacting the Municipality, residents face an additional challenge, a lack of reference numbers, making it excessively burdensome to track and resolve complaints.

Local businesses, including a guesthouse enduring nine powerless days over New Year due to a faulty meter, suffered the consequences. Despite continuous calls, the response was consistent, "Be patient, we are working on the problem." A technician's five-minute resolution upon final arrival highlighted the inefficiency in addressing residents' concerns.

Beyond routine load-shedding, Mohokare has experienced 28 hours without power in four days, with an additional 24 hours in a section of Smithfield—a total of 62 hours for some, independent of scheduled load-shedding.

Compounding the issue, Centlec has restricted its working hours to 8 am to 4 pm daily, excluding weekends. This means if power goes off after 4:01 pm on a Friday, Centlec will only attend to it at 8 am on Monday, a wholly unacceptable situation, given residents' direct payments to Centlec.

The consequence of this power struggle is not merely inconvenience. Beyond disrupted services, local businesses face financial losses, residents endure prolonged power outages, and the community's overall well-being is compromised. We firmly believe that a swift resolution is imperative to restore normalcy and uphold the democratic principles of accountability and service delivery.

We will call on the Mayor and Municipal Manager, seeking clarification on who currently holds responsibility for electrical services in the municipality and urge immediate steps taken to resolve the dispute with Centlec.

As we face these challenges, it reinforces the importance of registering and voting for the DA in the upcoming elections. Not only will the DA fight to keep the lights on, but will also guarantee efficient service delivery to the residents of Mohokare.

Issued by Ian Riddle - DA Councillor Mohokare Local Municipality