Local News
FS blackout: more than 1 million could be without power─── REFILWE GAESWE 11:03 Thu, 02 Oct 2014
Bloemfontein - More than a million people will be affected when Eskom cuts power on Friday.
Eskom says payment plans that three Eastern Free State
municipalities submitted didn’t have expectable solutions.
Spokesperson Adri
Strydom says they followed a process before they decided to disconnect any
electricity supply to the municipalities.
Eskom announced that bulk electricity
supply at Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality in Qwaqwa, Dihlabeng in Bethlehem and
Ngwathe Municipality in Parys will be disconnected on Friday, 3 October 2014.
Strydom explains that after many negotiations and interactions with all
relevant stakeholders, the municipalities failed to reach a payment plan
extension of 30 September this year. She says the debt has now gone beyond the
expectable norms.
Strydom says the three municipalities have short-paid
on their current account for a prolonged period. Maluti-a-Phofung owes R418.6
million, Ngwathe owes R257.9 million and Dihlabeng has a debt of R59.1 million.
Refilwe Mekoa/OFM News
