Eskom ordered to restore adequate supply to Lekwa, Ngwathe
Two groups of residents of the Lekwa (Standerton) and Ngwathe (Parys) municipalities have the right not only of access to electricity supplied by Eskom but to enough of it to sustain the most basic human rights guaranteed in the constitution.
This was one of the findings made by acting judge Anthony Millar in the High Court in Johannesburg on Friday when he granted an application from residents of the two municipalities and ordered Eskom to urgently restore electricity supply to recent, adequate levels.
Read: Eskom blamed for ‘human catastrophe’ in Lekwa and Ngwathe
He also hit Eskom and the two municipalities with punitive cost orders, citing Eskom’s uncaring attitude to the hardship its earlier decision to throttle electricity supply imposed on residents.
The two applications dealt with substantially the same issues and were heard together.
Eskom’s latest strategy thwarted?
Millar’s order casts doubt over Eskom’s latest strategy to deal with municipalities that owe it large amounts. The utility has in the last few months limited electricity supply to these two and many other municipalities in various provinces to contractually agreed but wholly inadequate levels that were set many years ago.
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