The virtual meeting will include personnel from the Department of Energy, representatives of Maluti-a-Phofung residents, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), National Treasury, Provincial Treasury, the Office of the Premier, and the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality. According to Cogta HOD Mokete Duma, the municipality is experiencing penalties on their notified maximum demand and this results in debt accumulation at a higher rate.

Duma said load-shedding is one of the major issues that is faced by the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality and this is due to illegal connections and malfunctioning prepaid meters. Duma referred to the 7% loss that they incurred on prepaid meters and 15%  that they incurred on conventional meters. Duma also stated that Maluti-a-Phofung currently has 110 Mva and they are currently using 170 Mva which has resulted in a shortcoming of 60 Mva, thus the region is facing load-shedding.

He says the government plans to replace all faulty meters as part of their first phase of the problem. The network problem will also be attended to as the department has conducted what is referred to as the energy master plan, to ensure that Maluti-a-Phofung does not exceed their allocated supplier agreement with Eskom.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi