Courts says lights will stay on in Newcastle ... for now

About 100,000 Newcastle residents will stay switched on until Thursday, when the Pietermaritzburg high court will hear an urgent application to interdict Eskom from implementing daily power blackouts.

The power utility was expected to pull the plug from 6am on Monday due to the local municipality's failure to pay its electricity bill.

However, the municipality said on its Facebook page that the court had ruled that Eskom could not go ahead with the blackouts until the matter was heard in court on Thursday.

It is claimed the Newcastle municipality consistently defaulted on payments towards its R2bn Eskom debt from 2017.

In a notice last month, Eskom said residences and businesses would be disconnected from 6am until noon and again from 3pm to 8.30pm every day from September 30 to October 6.

From October 7, electricity was scheduled to be disconnected from 6am to 8pm on week days until the municipality had paid all its outstanding debt.

In a statement on Saturday, Newcastle mayor Ntuthuko Mahlaba said the municipality was involved in extensive negotiations with Eskom, with assistance from the provincial department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs under MEC Sipho Hlomuka.

"These engagements are at an advanced stage and we are optimistic we will find a lasting breakthrough. We have put forward a payment plan and are awaiting Eskom to give us approval. As soon as we reach agreement with Eskom we will communicate with residents,” said Mahlaba.

A day later, the municipality confirmed on social media that it had approached the Pietermaritzburg high court for an interdict.

Municipal spokesperson Dumisani Thabethe could not be reached for comment.