Free State non-payers to have power cut

According to local electricity management company Rural Maintenance, some 40%of electricity users in the region's Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality are not paying for their power supply.

"These customers were therefore directly responsible, with all the other such users, of Eskom having to load-shed paying citizens," said Rural Maintenance CEO Chris Bosch on Thursday.

He said they were going to help Eskom decrease the load on its supply system by disconnecting all non-paying users of electricity in the municipality.

"We simply don't have a choice, and we request the community of Maluti-a-Phofung to assist us," Bosch said.

The Maluti-a-Phofung municipality includes Phuthaditjhaba, Harrismith, and Kestell.

Eskom earlier announced power cuts were scheduled to last from 09:00 to 10:00 across the country due to seven days of heavy rain having soaked its coal stocks.

Consumers have been urged to switch off all non-essential appliances to reduce the impact of the power cuts.