The residents of the Emfuleni Local Municipality (Evaton, Sebokeng, Vaal Oewer, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging) have fallen victim to the ANC-controlled council's failure to pay its power debt to Eskom for the umpteenth time.
Eskom has now taken Emfuleni to court for its historical debt amounting to R1,3 billion.
In October this year, the High Court authorised Eskom, in terms of a court order, to collect its outstanding debt of R1,3 billion from the Municipality.
It includes seizing bank accounts and movable assets. Movable assets usually include vehicles used to provide essential services.
When the Municipality's bank accounts are seized, it will not be able to pay any services, procure any spare parts or pay salaries.
The FF Plus is of the opinion that Eskom, the National Treasury, the Gauteng and the national Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) should have intervened years ago already.
The Municipality should have been compelled to pay its debt to the power supplier and Rand Water at that time.
At present, the Municipality's outstanding debt to Eskom amounts to R5,3 billion.
Eskom has sent a summons of R3,5 billion to the Municipality. The application will be heard early next year.
It excludes the R1,3 billion that the High Court authorised Eskom to collect in October.
The Gauteng Department of COGTA's intervention had no positive outcomes. COGTA should have taken more stringent action.
Emfuleni residents deserve better than this, which is the direct result of an incompetent ANC government.
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