Times Of Swaziland: GOVT OWES SEC ABOUT E15M

GOVT OWES SEC ABOUT E15M
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BY JABULISA DLAMINI on 05/03/2018 07:40:00


MANZINI – The Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC) is owed about E15 million by
government.
Since Tuesday, the company has been disconnecting power supply in all the
government institutions.
Information gathered is that the places which were affected by the disconnection
included the High Court, most magistrates courts, swaziland National Libraries,
Royal Swaziland Police (RSP), Ministry of Natural Resources, Swaziland
Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS), two border posts and the Swaziland
Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA) among others. On Wednesday, power was
disconnected in most of the mentioned places, however, by Thursday afternoon, it
had been restored.
It is alleged that government had engaged in talks with the company in terms of
settling the bill soon.
When this reporter got to the magistrates court on Thursday, suspects from His
Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) had been turned back as all the
structures, including holding cells, courtrooms, magistrates’ chambers and
passages were dark.
Principal Magistrate, the David Khumalo when asked about the electricity issues,
confirmed that inmates, especially those kept at the Zakhele Remand Centre and
the Matsapha Maximum Prison were turned back as the entire magistrates court was
dark.
“We did not want to risk and keep inmates in holding cells simply for safety
reasons,” Magistrate Khumalo, who declined to comment further said.
Two years ago, electricity went off at the magistrates court and inmates became
violent and started assaulting His Majesty’s Correctional Services officers.
The close to 10 officers were saved by Royal Swaziland Police (RSP) officers,
who went inside immediately after power had been restored and intervened.
Most police camps were also affected by the disconnection and most police
officers, who preferred to comment on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the
power supply was cut off last week and they were forced to purchase fast foods
and drinks for their families in town.
SEC Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager Sifiso Dhlamini said the
company had published a notice recently pertaining to the disconnection exercise
to be conducted countrywide.
Dhlamini elaborated that owing customers were notified and advised to settle
their outstanding balances before a certain date as disconnections would be
effected. “I am, however, not in a position to inform you of the names of the
customers as it is unethical.