KZN Education welcomes move to install pre-paid meters at schools
The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal says it welcomes the initiative by eThekwini Municipality to roll out pre-paid meters at schools.
Several schools in the province have recently had their water and lights cut due to unpaid bills.
Around 1,000 schools in eThekwini are supplied by the municipality.
The city says nearly 60 have applied for prepaid meters.
"I think it will assist us in resolving a lot of issues. We will always be able to consume what we have paid for, but it does not eliminate the issue of illegal connects," says KZN Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi.
READ: KZN Education to settle R32m PMB utility school debt
The South African Democratic Teachers Union in KZN's spokesperson Nomarashiya Caluza believes the move is long overdue.
"Sometimes we don't even know how the municipality calculates [the bill]. Even when schools close sometimes schools get a bill for the period where there was no usage.
"Also, we have been complaining about the rates schools are charged at. So, bringing in prepaid electricity is a lasting solution for schools."
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