Free State towns’ lights remain on after Eskom agreement

(Photo: Du Preez de Villiers)

The Nketoana municipality in the Free State has indicated that it wants to enter into an agreement with Eskom to keep the lights on.

Eskom earlier said it had entered into distribution agency agreements with other Free State municipalities regarding the non-payment of their bulk bills, but that Nketoana had not taken similar steps to achieve a solution.

However, Stefanie Jansen van Rensburg, spokesperson for Eskom, confirmed later on Wednesday that the power giant received a council decision, which was already taken on 9 April, from the Nketoana municipality that it wants to enter into an agreement with Eskom.

“Due to an administrative error, the decision only reached Eskom today (Wednesday),” said Jansen van Rensburg.

“The power outages that were due to start on May 8 have therefore been suspended, subject to the municipality paying its current account while the parties finalize the distribution agency agreement.”

The Nketoana Municipality serves residents of Lindley, Arlington, Petrus Steyn and Reitz. Eskom intended to suspend power supply to the towns twice a day from 8 May – daily between 07:00 and 09:00 and again between 18:00 and 21:00.

Nala, Masilonyana and Ngwathe municipalities have already managed to avert planned power outages after agreeing to enter into distribution agency agreements with Eskom.

Eskom already warned in March that electricity supply to several Free State towns would be interrupted if the situation was not resolved.