Eskom accused of colluding with municipality to block solar power plants 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has accused Eskom and the Mafube municipality of colluding to block the town of Frankfort from using its own solar power plant to reduce the impact of load-shedding.  

The Mafube municipality had been using private power distributor Rural Maintenance to provide electricity to Frankfort via a 25-year contract where electricity was purchased from four solar farms in the area.  

The issue arose when Rural Maintenance tried to implement a load-shedding reduction scheme, and Eskom opposed it. This matter went to court but was dismissed due to Mafube’s absence. This has left parts of Rural Maintenance’s solar farms switched off, even though Eskom had previously granted them permission to generate and wheel electricity into the grid.  

The DA is now calling on the electricity minister to intervene in the matter. 

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