Delayed electricity reconnections delays Palm Ridge court proceedings

Despite delayed court proceedings on Tuesday at the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court following the cut of services by the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality, the city confirmed the services were restored in the afternoon. 

The municipality recently cut off services at the court due to the department of public works and infrastructure’s (DPWI) delayed payment.

Members of the public were reportedly turned away from the court on Tuesday morning with some of the court officials frustrated that their matters could not proceed due to the inconvenience. 

After enquiries from TimesLIVE on Monday, the DPWI confirmed it had settled the outstanding amount with the city and electricity was being restored.

TimesLIVE has also seen a letter written by minister Dean Macpherson addressed to the city's mayor Doctor Xhakaza requesting the municipality to reconnect all services to properties for the DPWI account.

Macpherson wrote to the mayor that the department's property management trading entity (PMTE) is experiencing technical system challenges and the system was down for two weeks, and all payments were not interfacing to the bank. 

"There is a backlog of interfacing to the bank. The amount of R35.7m has been processed as per the attached schedule and is part of the backlog that will interface to the bank in batches in the next coming three working days and expect the last amount to be in your account on December 10," read the letter. 

City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed the letter from the minister, and the services were restored. Unavailability of services in the morning could have been a delay while officials were still reconnecting. 

"They have been reconnected, and it should be functioning properly because on our side it is lighting," he said. 

TimesLIVE