A message to the residents
Dear Residents
We thought it proper to give you an update on current events in regards to the progress with the electricity business of the municipality.
Since the end of July 13,725 electrical assets have been audited, assessed and mapped via gps in Modimolle, 2,668 in Mookgophong and 2,345 in Vaalwater.
533 Remote meters installed.
For the month of October 64,343 prepaid transactions has taken place via the new vending system implemented by the municipality which equates to 3,7 million kWh
4,4 million kWh has been utilized by our light industrial consumers and 429,585 kWh so far by commercial users.
The municipality has also made weekly payments to Eskom amounting to +/- R3 million to date as of 25 October with the larger payments still to be made.
In regards to the domestic amnesty that was granted 879 applications was received and 254 legalized with the remainder, still in the process of being attended to.
A further 127 technical issues were logged and resolved which included a replacement of an electrical kiosk in Mookgophong and the wastewater treatment plant being fitted with a new 200 kVA transformer. Ten x 11m medium voltage poles have been replaced on the Mookgophong farm lines. In Modimolle the main substation was also fitted with new terminations and main feeder cable after the outage of last week. In Roedtan two transformers were replaced.
Bulk check metering at the main Eskom intakes have been installed at Modimolle, Mookgophong and Vaalwater.
In regards to the domestic conventional customers, we apologize that we had to estimate the consumption for October seeing that it is the first month where the electricity and water, rates and taxes are being split and two invoices are issued. Please note that there is now a separate Standard Bank account number for electricity only as we are in the process to ring-fence the electricity department as required by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA)
Please Note:- Make sure you use the correct bank account. Don’t be caught by a scam as the unscrupulous amongst us may see an opportunity to try and get you to make payment into their own accounts posing as the Municipality. The bank account details is published on the Municipalities website being:- www.mmlm.gov.za
Where residents are unhappy with the estimation we request that you make payment based on your calculated cost seeing that all of you keep track of your own usage monthly. The municipality has however commenced with installing new electronic meters for domestic conventional users and it will take between 2-3 months to complete. The old meters are not simply replaced for the sake of replacing them but rather because the old electromechanical meters have already exceeded their expected life span and may well now register inaccurate consumption.
We kindly request that you bear with us and the staff as new systems, processes and procedures are implemented and everyone still needs to be trained and get familiar with these changes.
From the above it is clear we are moving in the right direction but it does take some time to get everything in place and will require some patience and everyone's support to make it happen.
Thank you to everyone who have been understanding and acknowledged the work already done to date.
Best regards
Marlene Van Staden
Mayor