The Free State High Court Judge has further slapped the troubled municipality with a costs order and in the process confirmed a previous interim order which ordered the municipality to reconnect residents whose electricity was disconnected. 

A community association dragged this troubled municipality to court to overturn its decision to disconnect residents from the power grid. Judge Johannes Daffue said he felt satisfied with the argument by residents against the troubled municipality and ruled against the municipality, which he then barred from cutting power to residents. The chairperson of the association, Wilhelm König, previously told OFM News that "for years the municipality has not been able to issue regular municipal accounts".

In February, Judge Ilse van Rhyn, in a two-page judgment, ordered the municipality to restore all affected residents’ power and to desist from disconnecting electricity without following due process.

On 8 February, MAP disconnected the electricity supply of two members of the Harrismith Intabazwe Tshiame Residents Association, without any notice.

OFM News previously reported that the Auditor-General (AG), Tsakani Maluleke, told Members of Parliament (MPs) that this municipality is part of the three municipalities in the province that could not account for or keep track of where taxpayers' money went. The municipality is also amongst 15 embattled municipalities which are being probed by the Hawks for alleged fraud and corruption.

Maluleke said the municipality is amongst three municipalities which failed to furnish her office with documents as per the requirement. She further added that the 2019/20 financial statements of Maluti-A-Phofung are also still outstanding.

OFM News