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Kimberley – The Northern Cape government will hear by Friday whether power utility Eskom will agree to renegotiate “more affordable” repayment plans with municipalities.
Sylvia Lucas, the premier of the Northern Cape and several of her cabinet members met with representatives from Eskom earlier today following power cuts to five municipalities last week.
The Magareng, Thembelihle, Ubuntu, Dikgatlong and Renosterberg municipalities in the Northern Cape owe Eskom about R113m for electricity.
AfriForum obtained an urgent interdict on Friday stopping Eskom from cutting electricity to Hopetown, Barkley West and Strydenburg.
Renosterberg municipality owes Eskom R26m, Dithakong (Kuruman) R21m, Ubuntu (Victoria West) R25.4m, Magareng (Warrenton) R17m and Thembelihle R22.6m.
“They will take it (our proposal) to their principals and they have agreed to get back to us by Friday,” Lucas said after the meeting.
The provincial government wants Eskom to agree to lower repayments, which especially poor municipalities can afford. Lucas says this will lower the default rate of municipalities.
