Bushbuckridge resident Rosina Mashile often arrives home to darkness when she returns from work during the week.
“I arrive home in Shatale township after 6 pm, and it’s already dark because of winter. The load reduction means there are no street lights, making it extremely dangerous for me to walk home from the taxi rank,” Mashile told Sunday World.
Shirley Khoza, a resident of Sesaleni village, echoed similar fears, especially for her children.
“I’m unemployed, and we rely on what little we have to get by but these power cuts make it even harder.
“My three children are not safe in the dark, even though the streets have been quieter since the recent mob justice incidents. I worry every day about when crime might return.”
The populous Mpumalanga settlement is one of many areas in the grip of a load reduction programme by power utility Eskom.
The utility giant has defended the measure, citing overloading of the grid due to illegal electricity activities as the primary reason for these interruptions.
The Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, however, has distanced itself from the issue, stating that it has no energy supply or distribution deal with Eskom.
“Bushbuckridge Municipality does not owe Eskom any money related to failed revenue collection, except for the electricity we use as a municipality.
“This is a national issue, and it should be addressed as such,” said municipal spokesperson Fhumulani Thovhakale.
Eskom explained that the load reduction is necessary to prevent damage to its infrastructure due to network overloading.
“Load reduction is implemented in areas where network overloading occurs, primarily during peak hours in the morning and evening.
“This is not load shedding, which is used when the national grid is constrained, but a measure to protect our assets from repeated failures and explosions,” the utility said.
Eskom further highlighted the impact of illegal electricity activities in the region.
“The prevalence of ghost vendors selling cheap, illegal electricity has caused significant overloading across Mpumalanga, including Bushbuckridge. This not only compromises our equipment but also poses a severe risk to human life.
“Load reduction is applied wherever overloading is detected to safeguard our infrastructure and the communities we serve. We understand the inconvenience it causes, but it is necessary to prevent extended power outages.”
Regarding financial matters, Eskom noted that Bushbuckridge is not among its top municipal debtors but stressed the broader issue of municipal debt.
According to Eskom, as of the end of March, municipal debt, one of Eskom’s most significant challenges, stood at approximately R74.4-billion.
“This debt has surged in the last financial year from 1 April 2023 to 30 March 2024 by around R15.9-billion.
“As of the end of June 2024, the arrears debt has reached R82.3-billion, growing by R7.9-billion in just three months. This debt includes R8.3-billion owed by two metropolitan municipalities in Gauteng,” the utility’s media desk noted.
“The failure of the municipalities to pay Eskom for the bulk electricity they consume undermines Eskom’s financial stability and its ability to generate and supply electricity at reasonable prices for the benefit of South Africa’s growth.”
Eskom also addressed the challenges posed by illegal activities, including the use of ghost vendors.
“It costs Eskom approximately R300-million annually to replace infrastructure damaged due to illegal connections.
“Additionally, we lose over R5-billion per annum to non-technical losses, including ghost vending, which severely compromises our network.
This week most of the provincial departments, including the premier’s office, tabled their budget votes in the provincial legislature in Mbombela.
However, the elephant in the room remains the 2021-22 report from the auditor-general (AG), which indicated that nearly R1-billion was spent to remedy municipal accountability.
The AG highlighted the waste and ongoing financial mismanagement that hinders service
delivery.
“We issued three material irregularities on the ineffective use of consultants at three municipalities. The total investment in financial reporting, including salaries of finance
officials and consultant costs, was R941,3-million,” the AG’s report states.
“With no effort spared to aid the crisis, financial misstatements remain prevalent.
“Five municipalities reported significant doubt about their ability to continue operating, while 10 municipalities approved unfunded budgets, resulting in unauthorised expenditure of R2,54-billion.”
Provincial treasury MEC Bonakele Majuba announced measures to prevent the rot from repeating itself.
“The issue of unfunded municipal budgets requires careful consideration and resolve to turn around the situation.
“Spending on non-priority items needs to be reduced, and municipalities must explore innovative solutions and identify opportunities for sustainable revenue generation.
He said municipalities need fresh strategies to combat the challenges they face.
“Our focus in the medium term will be on assisting our municipalities in developing strategies to bridge funding gaps and institutionalise sustainable controls for better financial management,” he said.
Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content
