A power utility that belongs to the Mangaung metro municipality has dealt the provincial government departments and private businesses a big blow by switching off electricity.
On Wednesday, Centlec disconnected electricity to a number of provincial government department buildings and state entities, including Pacofs and the Free State Development Corporation in Bloemfontein.
Buildings owned by the wealthy Georgiou family, which include the Loch Logan Water Front Mall in Bloemfontein, were among those switched off.
Dozens of government buildings in the Mangaung region, including clinics and schools, have also been plunged into darkness.
Sunday World understands that Centlec will also be targeting the OR Tambo Building, which houses the office of the premier, Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae.
Two weeks ago, Sunday World reported that the provincial government was owing municipalities over R1-billion.
At the weekend, the MEC for public works and infrastructure, Dibolelo Mance, stated that the five-year historical debt by various departments was the cause of the crisis.
Treasury blamed for the crisis
Mance’s department blamed the Free State treasury for the shortfall in the budget to address the matter.
Mance stated that she has been in consultation with the legislature, the provincial executive, and the treasury on how the crisis could be resolved and when the debt owed to municipalities could be paid.
“We have been raising this matter of the debt in different forums, and we discussed with the exco [executive committee] how this issue could be resolved through a presentation on how we can deal with the funding of water and electricity,” Mance said.
“We suggested a model where each government department can be allowed to pay for its water and electricity.
“Another issue we have raised was that as public works pays for various departments’ water and electricity, can we claim the money from those departments?
“We also raised an issue that if we continue to centralise the budget, can we be given enough resources to do so?”
Free State treasury spokesperson Tshidiso Mokokoane said the department of public works is allocated a budget in terms of the Provincial Appropriation Act; thus, the department can decide how the budget is appropriated within the respective programmes.
“The premier is doing nothing to deal with the crisis, and as a provincial principal, she has the power to advise and come up with plans on how this historical debt can be paid.
“Now Mangaung metro, through Centlec, has thrown the curveball and disconnected electricity from all the government buildings, including her building, the OR Tambo Building.
“It’s a matter of time that other municipalities will follow suit as they are also owed, and once they switch off power, there will be nothing working, as is happening in Bloemfontein right now,” said a senior government official who is not authorised to speak to the media.
ANC leaders fight among themselves
Another source said that what is most troubling was that service delivery was collapsing in the province and that ANC leaders are fighting among themselves.
“There is an element of sabotage, and other ANC leaders in government and those in the province are flexing their muscles to destroy others,” said the source.
“If the leadership fights, people suffer, as they become casualties of political plots that had nothing to do with them. Ho hobe hampe mona Bloemfontein [it is bad in Bloemfontein].
Lele Mamatu, the Centlec spokesperson, confirmed that electricity has been disconnected to dozens of government buildings, state-owned entities, and private entities due to debt of over R1-billion.
“We can confirm that we have switched off power to various government buildings and state entities. We are owed more than R1-billion by the government, FDC, and the Georgio family,” said Mamatu.
Matshidiso Setai, the Free State premier’s spokesperson, has promised to respond to Sunday World’s questions. The story will be updated when she responds.
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