Transnet is the latest state entity to have its electricity cut by the Msunduzi municipality for more than R14m in outstanding rates it allegedly owes.
The municipality has spared no defaulters — including government entities, businesses, schools and residents — since the launch of a disconnection drive to recoup R5.5bn.
The municipality said on its Facebook page on Thursday Transnet’s “consolidated debt being in access of R14m, we are disconnecting all linked properties”.
Its revenue collection team has collected more than R40m since the launch of Operation Qoqama Million last Friday.
Acting municipal manager Nelisiwe Ngcobo said earlier in the week: “We are urging all government departments to ensure their bills are updated, because we are not prepared to negotiate once we arrive.”
In a letter addressed to Ngcobo on Monday, the provincial public works department said government entities' outstanding payments would be made before the end of September.
The department urged the municipality to “reconnect the electricity at various provincial facilities as this had a negative impact on service delivery to the people of KwaZulu-Natal, including the learning environment for schoolchildren”.
In response to its latest Facebook post on Transnet, residents hit out at the city.
“Your real fight is with public works, but you guys can’t win there so you are now beating the dogs for the owners to come out,” said one resident.
“It may seem effective, but in reality, as always, civilians and service delivery get hit the hardest.”
Another resident questioned why the municipality had allowed those owing “to accrue such huge arrears month in, month out in the first place, with no consequences? Is this not too little, too late now?”
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