Gautrain services were nearly brought to a halt on Tuesday as the City of Tshwane unplugged water and electricity supply at the Gautrain’s Hatfield Station due to non-payment of a R10 million rates bill, the City said on Tuesday.
City of Tshwane said Gautrain owed over R10 million and that they last paid their account in 2020.
“Hatfield station has a pre-paid electricity meter and the account is not only up to date but in credit to the value of approx R120,000. The water account is also up to date.
“We’ve been trying without success to contact the City to provide a statement of account and last night, the City shared a screengrab with us which reflects an account number that differs to the account number reflected on their notice to terminate services.
“The City has illegally cut off services to the station. Given that the water and electricity accounts for the station are paid in full and are up to date, we are calling on the City to urgently reconnect the water and electricity supply to Hatfield station and to avail itself to meet so that we can obtain a full statement of account rather than a screengrab,” the Gautrain said.
They stated that they would be approaching the court to urgently interdict the City to restore services to the station “given its wrongful termination of services to Hatfield station”.
The City of Tshwane has been on an aggressive drive to collect billions of Rands owed to it by defaulting businesses, embassies, government departments and state-owned companies.
Last week, the City said it was owed over R17billion in unpaid water, lights and property rates.
The SA Revenue Service (SARS) and the SA Police Service Headquarters were among those disconnected on Tuesday.
“SAPS Headquarters disconnected. The landlord (Mendo Properties) owe us R5.1mil… SARS is the tenant. We are owed by the landlord,” the city said.
SARS said the building it occupied at Ashlea Gardens in Pretoria does not belong to them.