Winter before last, the coldest one yet, Eskom saw fit to switch off our power. I did not complain because according to the account we received we were in arrears in the amount of R29, 000. Every month, over that winter period, we received an account from Eskom with arrears amounts varying between R26, 000 and R32, 000 . Six months of dark and cold. In December that year my wife phoned Eskom for the current amount owing, she was given an amount of R25, 000 to zero the account.. We paid the amount and our service was restored. From then on I watched the account very carefully. After the first month, in spite of payment made we were already six or eight odd thousand in arrears. Every month it got worse until my wife did a detailed consolidation and went to Eskom in Vereeniging. They would not/could not discuss my wife's consolidated account and she returned home in total frustration. What to do, where to go when all efforts to rectify fall on deaf ears???
Today Eskom were here and have given us until Friday to pay R18, 000 arrears. This is the Power that a Monopoly Company has. No opportunity to rectify accounting errors - just PAY or DIE.
Are South Africans really that complacent???
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