Lights stay on in Nala

Eskom has indefinitely suspended bulk electricity supply interruptions to the cash-strapped Nala Local Municipality in the Free State.

Scheduled supply interruptions were due to be implemented yesterday (28/08).

The municipality was expec­ted to make payments by 17 August.

However, this was postponed to yesterday while discussions between Eskom and authorities of the Nala Local Municipality were ongoing.

In a statement issued on Monday (27/08), Eskom stated that schedule supply interruptions have been suspended until further notice.

No explanation was given for the decision to suspend power interruption to the municipality administering Bothaville and Wesselsbron.

These pending interruptions were to be implemented due to the municipality’s failure to pay sufficient amounts towards their overdue Eskom account for the bulk supply of electricity.

Suspension gives the trouble-ridden municipality time to source funds to pay its repor­ted huge debt of R180 972 200,62 to the power supplier.

The Nala Local Municipality, administered by the ANC, is one of the three municipalities in the province which are hugely indebted to Eskom.

The other are Tokologo and Masilonyana.

All these municipalities must still pay huge amounts to settle their respective debts to the power supplier.

Authorities of these embattled municipalities made a payment on 26 June to avoid interruption of bulk power supply.

Eskom’s plans to implement interruption on bulk power supply came after these muni­cipalities had breached repayment agreements signed with Eskom.