Newcastle mayor Xolani Dube has defended his council's decision to help reconnect electricity to residents cut off for nonpayment.
It was not “political gimmicking” before the local government elections next year, as alleged by opposition parties, he said.
The municipality has helped fund the reconnection of 47 transformers.
“Our municipality has paid R2.4m to Eskom to facilitate the restoration of decommissioned transformers in Osizweni and Madadeni, a decision that will benefit more than 800 households,” Dube said.
“These are families who have lived in darkness, some because of systemic challenges, network failures and unauthorised connections that made it impossible for the infrastructure to function safely.
“Our focus was on indigent households, many of whom could not afford to pay the reconnection costs.”
Municipal manager Zamani Mcineka said before they intervened they obtained a legal opinion from a senior counsel who said their decision was sound.
TimesLIVE
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