Update

KNYSNA NEWS - The lights are back on at the Knysna Mall.

This follows a court order granted in the Thembalethu High Court in George yesterday, the result of an urgent application brought by Grey Elephant Investments (GEI), the owners of the mall.

GEI brought the application in the chambers of Judge MR Dolamo after the municipality had cut the mall’s electricity off at about 13:00 yesterday, Friday 25 April.

Ironically, the Knysna municipality is also a tenant at the mall.

The municipality’s move is believed to be in terms of its debt collection policy.

Judge Dolamo granted the order to restore the electricity supply immediately.

Loggerheads

GEI and the municipality have been at loggerheads for the past three years over the alleged outstanding debt of GEI.

In an application brought late last year, which is still to be heard, GEI challenged the constitutionality of the municipality’s tariff policy.

Yesterday, during the blackout, only some of the retailers, mostly the major ones, were able to continue operating by using back-up generators.

The Knysna Municipality is the licensed electricity provider for the town, with it buying electricity in bulk from Eskom, and then providing it to businesses and residents who pay the municipality for the amounts used.

A person who was at the mall after the power went off said many of the retailers there had suddenly stopped operating, as they did not have generators.

Businesses surrounding the mall were operating as normal, their power uninterrupted.

The Knysna Municipality has been asked for information on the blackout at Knysna Mall, and when it is received, it will be published.

Read previous articles:

Knysna Mall without electricity | Knysna-Plett Herald 

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