AfriForum requests that the respective agreements between Eskom and the municipalities in arrears be made public in order to prevent the electricity of several towns being cut. This application was submitted in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (PAIA) (Act No. 2 of 2000).
“We want to determine if these agreements benefit the community and it is the community’s right to know what is contained therein,” says Morné Mostert, Local Government Coordinator at AfriForum.
Furthermore, AfriForum wants to know what the debt levels are of all municipalities in arrears with regards to their Eskom accounts. Through this, communities will be put in the position to launch legal actions against the involved municipalities.
AfriForum also created a legal fund where the public can make a specific contribution to the Eskom legal battle, which is aimed at calling municipalities to order.
AfriForum further welcomes Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown’s request that Eskom delays cutting off municipalities who still owe money. The civic rights watchdog will however proceed with litigation where necessary.