Eskom reaches deal with non-paying municipalities

[Kevin Lancaster]

Eskom reaches deal with non-paying municipalities

Eskom has reached payment agreements with 10 out of 20 defaulting municipalities, after the supplier issued threats that it would begin power cuts in June.

 

[upup]

Well, our municipality, who are also on the list, just advertise to change some street names.

 

[Skerminkel]

According to AfriForum the towns that have received notices include Witbank, Ventersburg, Bethal, Odendaalsrus, Secunda, Riebeeckstad, Kriel, Kinross, Standerton, Graceland Casino, Welkom, Emzinoni Township, Hennenman, Embalenhle Township and Evander

Copy&Paste job from News24 again.

Embalenhle is in Secunda.
Graceland Casino is a casino (no sjit!) in Secunda.

Then another list of municipalities that is useless to anyone not in the immediate district of those. Municipalities do not appear on maps, so it makes no sense to print their names.

What is shocking, though, is that towns like Secunda and Evander (are they the same mun?) do not pay their accounts. Surely these do not have a cash problem? Both almost completely funded by Sasol.

 

[Jola]

The hunger for exotic 4x4's, or flash black cars, is never-ending.

 

[upup]

Ventersburg, Odendaalsrus, Riebeeckstad, Welkom, Hennenman, proudly all of these falls under welkom, which cancer also called mathjabeng.

But on transformation we are no 1.

 

[LCBXX]

Protecting interests again I see. May 2016 looms...

 

[Glingfram]

Well, our municipality, who are also on the list, just advertise to change some street names.

Just following the country's policy of quick political wins without achieving anything.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Will be interesting to see how many of these municipalities abide by the agreement and pay up.

In the past this was just a tactic used to delay the threat of being switched off.

 

[Skerminkel]

If the ANC shows any political will, they will prevent councillors and senior management in these municipalities from having generators at home. Preferably no alternative electricity sources, but we should encourage renewable sources, but definitely not funded from public money. And no aircon off generators at municipal offices!

 

[The_MAC]

I have seen how many small towns in South Africa deteriorate over the years, and Secunda is no different. If it wasn't for some private funding from Sasol for certain projects, it would be even worse.

I'm sure most of the people pay their bills, but between the susidising of the gigantic township next door and KFC/BMW petty cash expenses, there is nothing left to pay Eskom.

 

[Mighty]

and what exactly will happen these people default on their "arrangement"? Get threats all over again, wash, rinse, repeat.....

When will they ever learn, just cut the damn lights and give it to the people that actually bother paying anything.

 

[ThinkCentre]

The solution will be if Eskom is paid directly by the user and bypassing the municipality!

 

[Mighty]

hear hear!

 

[bekdik]

If the ANC shows any political will, they will prevent councillors and senior management in these municipalities from having generators at home. Preferably no alternative electricity sources, but we should encourage renewable sources, but definitely not funded from public money. And no aircon off generators at municipal offices!

Bwaaaaaa ANC, will!! Bwaaaaaa

 

[Draganchor]

The solution will be if Eskom is paid directly by the user and bypassing the municipality!


That is a great solution

 

[The_MAC]

The solution will be if Eskom is paid directly by the user and bypassing the municipality!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't some municipalities have their own Distribution Network i.e. Substations. Hence the Municipal billing requirement.

 

[RudderVator]

If the ANC shows any political will, they will prevent councillors and senior management in these municipalities from having generators at home. Preferably no alternative electricity sources, but we should encourage renewable sources, but definitely not funded from public money. And no aircon off generators at municipal offices!

Thats also a massive problem it seems in almost all the cases I've heard of the municipal manager and Co normally dont live in the municipal district they manage.
So they could not care less if the town has no water for 3 days or no power.
Our municipal manager lives in Pretoria!?
So whatever happens to this district is of no concern to him.

For instance in Hartbeespoort we now fall under the Madibeng municipality since around 2000 because we always had our own municipality before that..Of course the reason we where merged with a large municipality was simply because our small municipality was 80% DA and by adding a couple of townships in surrounding areas and Brits to the equation the whole municipality is flipped back the ANC. It happened in most cases around the country with the old story of "if everything is centralized its better for everyone"

It also allows for cross subsidization as the people in Hartbeespoort and Brits would fund the townships and poorer community's for losses they makes there due to theft of water and electricity and it goes without saying some KFC and BMW's aswell.

 

[upup]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't some municipalities have their own Distribution Network i.e. Substations. Hence the Municipal billing requirement.

you are correct.

 

[upup]

there is lots of people who don't pay, and when they come to cut you, they get bribed.

 

[Skerminkel]

Bwaaaaaa ANC, will!! Bwaaaaaa

If we don't have hope...

Thats also a massive problem it seems in almost all the cases I've heard of the municipal manager and Co normally dont live in the municipal district they manage.
So they could not care less if the town has no water for 3 days or no power.
...

You cannot tell someone where to live. As long as they do not pay him for his daily commute. It is really the same as all the people who live in Hartbeespoort but work in Sandton.
Hopefully the no-aircon will already convince him.
Come to think about it - how about tap water only to use in the office. No filters and definitely no bottled water.