In a recent development, which could cause ordinary citizens to lose hope that community actions may possibly alleviate load shedding, the court set aside an application against Eskom.
Frankfort, the main town in the Mafube Local Municipality, had been experiencing very little load shedding up to now.
As per an agreement, the private company FS Rural Developments controlled the municipal power grid. By utilising power from a solar farm just outside of town, owned by local people and businesses, load shedding was kept to a minimum during the daytime.
Eskom, however, recently indicated that the power utility, which is experiencing a permanent generating deficit, will take control of the municipal grid.
That is what the court application tried to prevent.
Judge Eben Molahleni of the High Court in Johannesburg set the case aside. He failed to thoroughly consider the merit of the case, though. Court records named the Mafube Local Municipality as the third applicant, but there were no supporting documents provided to confirm this.
Communities that want to launch and run their own power generation and distribution projects should not deduce from this judgment that it is unlawful to do so. But they do need to realise the importance of adhering to all the relevant legal and technical regulations.
The FF Plus sympathises with ordinary citizens who often must bear the brunt of poor governance.
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