The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Setsoto is escalating its call for complete transparency, demanding the immediate tabling of the full OLE prepaid electricity report before the municipal council. This long-standing issue has reached a critical point, with residents experiencing mounting frustration and financial strain.
For nearly 12 months, Municipal Manager, Nomvula Malatjie, has repeatedly promised to present the report to the council, yet no results have materialised.
The Infrastructure 80 Committee again requested the report in June, but no progress has been made.
In 2017, OLE Power Systems was appointed to install and maintain prepaid electricity meters in Setsoto. In 2021, Ice Cloud SA Operations (Pty) Ltd was appointed for vending services, and their contract was extended following a public participation process.
Since 1 July this year, NERSA-approved electricity tariff increases have pushed up the basic monthly charge and inclining block tariffs by 15%, placing households under significant financial pressure. Despite using the same amount of electricity, Ficksburg residents have complained that their winter electricity costs have doubled.
This frustration was highlighted when a community member questioned whether meters were being tampered with in the Ficksburg Infrastructure WhatsApp group, which is not affiliated with the municipality. Many other residents echoed these concerns, highlighting the deep-seated distrust of the system.
In response to the group, Executive Mayor Cllr. Seipati Mbiwe stated that NERSA regulates tariffs and that manipulation was technically impossible. She added that any proof would be taken seriously.
The municipality subsequently released a public notice explaining the inclining block tariffs, the reasons why winter usage may be higher, and confirming that meters are reset at midnight at the end of each month to restart at block 1 of the inclining block tariff.
Other frustrations included instances when the system went offline due to connectivity issues, when purchased electricity failed to load into meters, or when residents were left without power.
On Wednesday, 2 July, the online publication StepUpSA News confirmed that the Hawks are investigating the original OLE tender. According to the article, the Hawks first requested documentation about the tender on 25 April 2022, and it is confirmed that the investigation remains open.
The DA emphasises that an independent audit is crucial to rebuilding community trust and ensuring fair, transparent utility management.
“The Council must be provided with comprehensive information to exercise proper oversight,” says Riëtte Dell, DA Councillor of Setsoto Municipality.
