GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - The Graaff-Reinet Action Committee recently had to intervene after residents from several areas were suddenly blocked from buying municipal electricity.
The problem first surfaced on Friday evening, 5 September, when several households reported that their electricity purchases had been suspended without warning.
According to Action Committee member Sias Smith, the blockage “caused unspeakable inconvenience and anger.”
For the entire duration of that weekend, families were unable to cook or take a bath, learners struggled to complete their homework by candlelight, and food in fridges spoiled.
On Monday 8 September, the Action Committee took the matter to the municipality.
Smith explains that their representatives first met with the municipality’s revenue services manager, Rory Boggenpoel, who insisted that the municipality itself was not responsible.
Instead, according to Boggenpoel, the suspension was linked to an automated cut-off system run by a private company, Utility Services, that allegedly activates once a certain level of arrears is reached.
Smith says the Action Committee representatives did not find this explanation satisfactory, and therefore they demanded a meeting with the municipality’s CFO, Jimmy Joubert.
According to Smith, the CFO was surprised by the incident, stressing that it was not municipal policy to block electricity purchases over weekends.
During the meeting, the CFO phoned a senior official in the presence of the Action Committee and instructed that all suspended electricity purchases be reopened immediately.
Soon afterwards, the residents confirmed that they were able to buy electricity again.
However, Smith points out that several issues remain unresolved. “Some residents had shown proof that they did not owe the municipality anything - some even had credit balances - but their electricity was still blocked,” says Smith.
“In many other cases, residents lost access to electricity because their indigent subsidies had lapsed without warning.
We have evidence that subsidies sometimes expire after only six months, not annually, and residents are not informed if additional documents are required to prevent this.”
The Action Committee also questions the fairness of the municipality’s debt control and collection policy, which seems to affect only households dependent on municipal electricity and not those who buy electricity directly from Eskom.
Smith argues that this long-standing issue continues to create divisions within the same municipality.
In addition, the Action Committee claims that billing errors add to the frustration. Residents regularly complain of incorrect charges, particularly relating to water consumption, which often leads to blocked electricity purchases and demands for advance payments.
Adding to the confusion is the role of Utility Services. While the public is told the system is automatic, Smith said it was suspicious that electricity could be unblocked manually on the CFO’s instruction.
A media enquiry relating to all the issues raised by the Graaff-Reinet Action Committee was submitted to the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality, and its response will be published as soon as it is received.
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