City of Tshwane Resumes Electricity to SAPS Head Office After R5m Payment, Owe Eskom R800m

• The City of Tshwane recently embarked on an aggressive campaign to raise the R800 million it owes Eskom
• The City shut off several businesses' electricity supply to pressure them to pay their outstanding power bills
• One of the properties wo have its electricity switched off by the City were the head office of the South African Police Service

PRETORIA - The City of Tshwane recently embarked on a hawkish campaign to raise the R800 million it owes Eskom due to many companies and individuals in the metro being in arrears in their electricity payments.

As part of this campaign, the City shut off several businesses' electricity supply to pressure them to pay their outstanding power bills, as having so electricity hampers their abilities to run their companies.

Read also

Gautrain refutes R10m City of Tshwane water and lights bill, threatens court action

According to The Sowetan, the metro has raised R300 million so far and is hopeful its tactics will result in them receiving the rest of the money owed soon. Mmaseabata Mutlaneng, the city manager, is heading the campaign.

SAPS' electricity is switched back on

The South African Police Service (SAPS)'s head office in Pretoria had their electricity supply switched off. Still, after their landlord paid the City its R5 million outstanding power bill, it was restored, News24 reports.

"The SAPS thus takes this opportunity to assure the nation that no service delivery has been affected at all its buildings and service points,' SAPS head office said after their electricity was shut off.

SAPS asserted that they are not in arrears to any municipalities, but that the landlord they rented their office space from had failed to pay his power bill to the City.

Read also

Lenasia car dealership robbed by group of gunmen, 6 vehicles stolen

Reactions to the City of Tshwane's electricity campaign

@NxStu said:

"Oh, okay, got it now. The owner of the property has not been paying you and the property has been rented by SAPS HQ. Well frog march to court like everyone else. This really is shocking!"

@_kennyray asked:

"Why are these governments departments still renting in this day and age?"

@SaRepublican believes:

"So Cele lied when he said the department bought its own building when he moved the department out of the previous building. Cele must be investigated for corruption in this whole thing."

@MusaManzini shared:

"They've found a system to chow: where the ANC generates revenue by making sure govt departments don't own but rent. The landlord is then instructed to increase rent and bill the state. It's all self destructive behavioural patterns = urge for failed state."

@OtlotlengMasilo remarked:

"I hope they recover all the money."

Gautrain threatens court action, refutes R10m City of Tshwane water, lights bill

Read also

Another building ablaze in Durban CBD, second fire this week

In earlier news about this campaign, Briefly News recently reported that Gautrain services were nearly brought to a grinding halt on Tuesday as the City of Tshwane continued its rampant charge on customers that are behind on bill payments.

The City's no-nonsense stance comes in the face of a staggering bill of no less than R17 billion owed by residents, businesses, the government and even foreign embassies.

Sticking to their guns, municipality officials descended on the Hatfield station to remind the company of an amount of R10 million that is reportedly outstanding on their water and lights account.

Source: Briefly News