A municipality in the Free State has refused to get involved in a high court matter which would have seen its residents benefit from a community solar plant project.
The Mafube local municipality says allegations of greed, mistrust, and the violation of a municipal contract are just some of the reasons it cannot support efforts to get the town of Frankfort off the grid and onto renewable energy.
Its inaction is now being seen as the reason the area is unable to get their four-hectare solar power plant up and running.
The municipality awarded a 25-year contract to private company Rural Maintenance in 2012 to operate their electricity network.
Rural Maintenance garnered the support of local business to invest R100 million in a solar plant in Frankfort to stop the negative impacts of load shedding.
But their efforts were halted when Eskom refused to assist in storing the electricity generated from the plant.
Last month, Rural Maintenance took Eskom to the Gauteng High Court over the issue but ultimately lost when the judge declared they did not have the support of the Mafube Municipality.
Acting municipal manager, Advocate Mothusi Lepheana: “Don’t drag us to court about private thing between a private company and Eskom – we are getting nowhere. You took a contract and with that comply with what Eskom is telling you. If you don’t follow it, let the court decide between you. Don’t drag us in.”
Lepheana alleges the reason the municipality did not support Rural Maintenance is because the company owes it royalties.
However, documents seen by the publication show that Rural Maintenance has paid royalties to the municipality.
-EWN
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