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Lekwa’s response to load-shedding in Standerton

A data cleansing and revenue collection programme was begun to generate enough income to pay Eskom.

Mr Johann Mettler, administrator of the Lekwa Municipality, gave a detailed response on Thursday, July 29 to the Lekwa Community Forum about their demand for load-shedding to be scrapped.

Mr Mettler made a reference to the Notified Maximum Demand (NMD) and said engagements with Eskom are ongoing.

Eskom emphasised that as long as the payment of the current account is not honoured, an application to increase the NMD will not be approved.

“We are only billing and metering 57% of the electricity bought from Eskom and a further 47% is unaccounted for,” Mr Mettler said.

The reason for the second percentage was given as illegal connections, incorrect billing and electricity theft.

Lekwa has been unable to meet the Eskom-requirements.

A data cleansing and revenue collection programme was begun to generate enough income to pay Eskom.

He added that illegal connections, bridging and over-usage of electricity, leads to overloading of the network.

It also causes damage to cables, transformers, fuses and circuit breakers.

He acknowledged that customers who are legally connected and prepared to pay for usage, suffer in the same way as transgressors.

“If load-shedding is not implemented, the entire network will trip and affect Eskom’s side as well.”

As regards to the water problems in areas such as Crossroads, Phalama, Ext 2 and Ext 7, the Department of Water and Sanitation was approached for a grant, to find a long-term solution in high-lying areas.

“Now, more than ever, is the time for the Lekwa community to take hands with the municipality to deal, once and for all, with the scourge of rotational load-shedding.”

The response is concluded with a note that his office remains open to the community.

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