Johannesburg - Electricity supply to three Free State municipalities which owe power utility Eskom R736 million will stay on, AfriForum said on Friday.
“We welcome this decision and the arrangement between Eskom and the municipalities,” spokesman Cornelius Els said in a statement.
“It’s time that municipalities accept responsibility.”
He said Eskom had made the arrangement following discussions with various role players, including AfriForum and the involved municipalities, on condition that the municipalities paid their debt monthly.
On Thursday Eskom said power supply to the Ngwathe, Dihlabeng and Maluti-a-Phofung municipalities would be cut off at noon on Friday.
Spokesman Anthony Stott said at the time the power supply would remain suspended until the municipalities came up with a payment plan.
He said Eskom gave the municipalities notices in May, and that interventions and negotiations had been taking place between the provincial government and the utility since then.
There had been agreements to postpone the suspension to August 31, and then again to September 30. The shutdown was a last resort, Stott said.
Sapa