DA’s legal counsel delivers final letter of demand to Eskom to restore electricity supply to Lichtenburg

14 August 2023

The DA in North West’s legal counsel acting upon our instruction to initiate urgent legal action against Eskom for its continued refusal to restore electricity supply to parts of Lichtenburg, has delivered a final letter of demand to the state-owned entity, demanding the immediate restoration of bulk electricity supply. See letter here.

We appreciate the support of the Ditsobotla Dienste-vereeniging who has joined our urgent application to the High Court for immediate relief against Eskom’s unlawful decision to deny residents and businesses their constitutional right to enjoy access to electricity.

Lichtenburg residents have endured 19 continuous days without reliable electricity supply after a pylon fell over on 27 July 2023 and a transformer was vandalised.

Eskom endeavoured to replace the transformer and the work was completed on Thursday, 10 August 2023, however, Eskom then opportunistically chose to abuse the desperate situation residents have had to endure for more than two weeks as a debt recovering mechanism against the Ditsobotla Local Municipality’s R1 billion debt.

We urge Eskom to see reason and immediately restore electricity supply or face defeat in the High Court.

We understand the anger and frustration of all affected residents. Our legal counsel has been instructed to expedite this application as far as reasonably and legally possible to ensure that we obtain relief on behalf of all affected residents from Eskom’s unlawful decision and unethical behaviour.

Issued by Leon Basson, DA North West Provincial Leader, 14 August 2023