Question NW151 to the Minister of Social Development:
14 April 2023 - NW151
Marais, Ms P to ask the Minister of Social Development:
What (a) plans have been put in place to settle all outstanding debts owed by her department’s office in Botshabelo, which is closed because of outstanding electricity debt owed to Centlec and the debt for water owed to the Mangaung Local Municipality and (b) are the reasons that it has taken so long to settle the debts? NW156E
Reply:
a) Botshabelo Local Office is accommodated in Reahola Complex, which is shared with other private businesses. The lease agreement for the Local Office was signed by National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) on behalf of the Agency. The landlord (Basfour 3324 (PTY) LTD) procures electricity from Centlec and supplies all the business units in the complex, including the SASSA office. The landlord has installed separate meters for each business site and bills tenants including DPWI (to recover usage costs for the SASSA Office). DPWI in turn recovers the paid electricity costs from SASSA.
It is important to note that the complex did not have electricity for three (3) working days starting from Thursday, 09 February 2023 to Monday, 13 February due to a technical failure of an electrical cable which Centlec has since repaired and services were restored on Monday, 13 February 2023.
The same applies with Mangaung Metro and there are no amounts due by SASSA.
There are no outstanding debts to settle.