According to a Facebook post by the Executive Mayor of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, Kagisho Sonyoni, the reason for the disconnection is due to non-payment of services.

The first building to be left dark was the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, followed by the Department of Public Works, which allegedly owes the municipality almost R14 million.

The Department of Education together with the Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison were among the others that had their power disconnected yesterday.

Sonyoni’s Facebook posts further revealed that businesses that have been defaulting on their payments will also feel the wrath of Sol Plaatje.

Inquiries have been sent to the mentioned departments to establish when they will be able to make their payments.

Municipal spokesperson Thoko Riet, in a media statement, explained that the disconnections form part of the municipality’s revenue collection plan.

ALSO READ: Free State cultural centre in the dark due to non-payment

Meanwhile, in the Free State the Mangaung Metro Municipality’s power utility Centlec has - on multiple occasions - embarked on a similar revenue collection drive.

The first drive was earlier this year, which ended into an agreement being reached between the Free State provincial government and Centlec whereby R90 million would be paid monthly to settle its debt – which at the time was in excess of R200 million. 

The latest drive to collect revenue has also left various departments’ buildings without power.

First was the National Afrikaans Literary Museum and Research Centre (NALN) which was left in the dark for days.

At the time, both the Free State Departments of Sport, Arts, Culture, and Public stated they are in no position to provide comment on the issue.

OFM News