This, despite the utility's power interruptions notice to the municipality two weeks ago, following their failure to honour their payment agreement.

The utility’s spokesperson in the province, Stefanie Jansen Van Rensburg, says the towns of Theunissen, Brandfort, Winburg and Verkeerdevlei will experience daily scheduled electricity outages between 06:00 and 20:00 as of July 15. This, should the municipality fail to make any payment. She adds there has not been any news from the municipality.

The financially troubled municipality owes Eskom over R74 million, and is among the Free State municipalities placed under administration.  Municipalities in the province are ranked among the worst Eskom defaulters in the country, owing nearly R10 billion, with the infamous Maluti-A-Phofung alone owing the power utility more than R4.5 billion.

Jansen van Rensburg maintains the decision is in efforts to get the municipality to adhere to its agreement and to reduce escalating municipal debts.

OFM News previously reported that the power utility has revealed that municipal debts countrywide is fast approaching the R30 billion mark.

 The utility has told the standing committee on appropriations that escalating municipal debt remains a huge challenge for the business and that there has been little change in the payment behaviour of municipalities.

OFM News