Protesting Embalenhle residents in Secunda in Mpulamanga have been granted their wish to have their electricity supplied directly from Eskom.
Residents went on the rampage this week, burning several buildings including a shopping mall, post office and a petrol station. They were accusing the Govan Mbeki Municipality of constantly cutting off the electricity supply.
The municipality says the constant power cuts were due to Eskom having reduced the amount of electricity it provides, but the utility denies this.
Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtsweni addressed the protesting residents on Thursday saying, “All that they are saying is that Eskom should take over the electricity account because the municipality is unable to serve that account.
“As the province of Mpumalanga our stance has been always that those municipality that are unable to manage the Eskom account they must officially hand over the account back to Eskom and we manage the transition such that which is due to Eskom, we are able to service as government,” says Mtsweni.
Mtsweni says a forensic investigation will be launched into allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds in the Govan Mbeki municipality.
She says the current municipal manager will be removed.
“Those allegations that they are raising they do hold water. Tomorrow what’s going to happen we have instructed the council to sit and take that resolution. They will then finish is with the resolution. As soon as we get it we will assemble a team of investigators that we will send down to the municipality and then we will take it from there.”
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