Schools face Water and Electricity cutoff
Some Schools in the Inner City might start the 2018 schooling term without water and electricity, the City of Johannesburg credit control department has sent water cutoff notices to a number of schools around the city, according to city officials this is due to delinquent utility payments by the Gauteng Department of education.
Inner City Gazette visited 3 Schools in the area and found termination notices affixed to the school gates of Barnato High School, Jeppe High Preparatory School and Laerskool in Kensington, a letter in possession of the Inner City Gazette shows the Gauteng Provincial Government owes the city of Johannesburg more than 420 Million Rands.
Dr Rabelani Dagada – Member of the Mayoral committee responsible for finance in the city of Johannesburg told the Inner City Gazette,
“we will not disconnect the schools, as it will be disruptive, we are a caring government, we will pursue the provincial department responsible to pay, failure to pay will see them being credit controlled through inter-governmental means.”
Recently the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Cllr Herman Mashaba took part in a citywide revenue collection drive to collect just under R1 billion in arrears from over 2 000 businesses which have failed to pay for services.
Mashaba was joined by the Johannesburg Metro Police Department’s newly appointed chief David Tembe, head of the city’s Group Forensics Investigative Department General Shadrack Sibiya, the City’s head of legal services Isaac Mogashoa, and senior officials from the City and entities.
After numerous calls and e-mails Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona eventually told the Inner City Gazette that, “according to our finance section municipalities have been paid.”