Several Pretoria schools have had their electricity cut off, apparently because the Department of Public Works failed to pay their property rates to the Tshwane metro council, Beeld reported on Thursday.
”This is a disaster,” said Yolanda Wilken, deputy principal at Laerskool Wierdapark.
The Beeld report named her school, Hoërskool Uitsig, Laerskool Doornkloof and Laerskool Theresapark among the schools affected by the power cuts.
All the schools say their water and lights bills have been paid, but that their accounts reflect outstanding amounts for their property rates.
The Tshwane metro council told the newspaper it had an agreement with the Department of Public Works to have all outstanding fees paid by August 1.
But the department failed to make the payment on August 1 and that is why the schools’ power was cut off.
The Gauteng education department said it was aware of the problem but that the Department of Public Works was responsible.
The Department of Public Works was not immediately available for comment. — Sapa