CRADOCK NEWS - For several residents of Cradock and Middelburg, it’s been 20 days without hot water and cooked meals as their daily routines are disrupted by the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality (IYM), which aggressively persists with disconnecting and blocking residents’ municipal electricity supply.
This is done without prior individual written letters warning residents of alleged outstanding arrears.
Kobus Botha, MPL for Cradock and Middelburg and Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature in Bhisho, as well as Shadow Minister of Social Development, stated that a letter was sent to the speaker, the chief whip of council, and the executive mayor of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Council, demanding that a special council meeting be convened to address the unceremonious disconnection of household and business electricity supply.
"We are waiting for a written response to our letter in this regard. We should encourage consumers of municipal services to be responsible and to pay for services and arrears only on receipt of authentic and accurate municipal accounts," says Botha.
Petrus Plaatjies, steering committee representative of the Michausdal Ratepayers Association, represented the communities of Cradock on Vukani Radio during a three-hour Zoom interview on Monday evening, 19 February, where he was joined by Noncedo Zonke, the Executive Mayor of Inxuba Yethemba Municipality. Both parties stated their situations, and the talk concluded with no immediate relief for citizens on the cards.
Plaatjies and Botha both warned residents not to hand over cash to any person(s) claiming to represent the municipality who state that if the money isn't handed to them, the users' electricity supply will be disconnected.
"We would rather want residents to approach municipal staff in person at the municipal offices and seek clarity on questionable accounts and demand proper receipts if cash is handed over," says Botha.
Botha condemns the municipality's uncaring attitude and conduct towards the people, strongly believing their actions are illegal and procedurally wrong. "This is not political for me, I want to solve the problem and help the community," says Plaatjies.
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