DA welcomes Mayor Mashaba’s action against prolonged Eskom power cuts in Johannesburg
11 July 2019
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba, requesting an urgent meeting with Eskom following a series of unjustifiable and prolonged power cuts in areas such as Diepsloot, Ivory Park, Soweto and Orange Farm.
Mayor Mashaba has also vowed to institute urgent dispute resolution proceedings between the City and Eskom with the energy regulator, Nersa, in terms of Section 4 of the Electricity Act, should the utility fail to meet his request.
Eskom has instituted credit management procedures in the affected communities as a result of non-payment by some residents.
While the DA holds the view that those who fail to pay their electricity bills should be held accountable, we condemn Eskom’s apparent illogical punishment of entire communities.