Pretoria, Gauteng Feb 28, 2023 (Issuewire.com) - Eskom Electricity provider targets animal charity – we need your help
International Primate Rescue (South Africa) is at risk of being disconnected by Eskom (electricity provider) after receiving a bill for March 2023 totaling R80 138,50 (South African Rands). Despite the primate sanctuary contesting the amount, unless it pays the bill, the electricity will be disconnected. If there is no electricity, the primates at the sanctuary will not have their heating, which is particularly tough on the elderly monkeys, and extremely detromential to their health and well-being. Some of them even fiddle with the globes trying to turn the heating on when they feel cold. They will suffer greatly if the electricity ends up being disconnected.
International Primate Rescue was established in 1996 to provide permanent sanctuary to primates that were pets or came from zoos or laboratories. It has received primates from all over the world. A registered non-profit organisation, the sanctuary is not open to the public, has a no-breeding policy, and does not buy or sell primates.
The Eskom Electricity situation
There have been a series of huge debits and credits on the sanctuary’s Eskom account since 2020.
Back in 2020, during Covid, the sanctuary was unable to pay a bill of R11,576.19 and was disconnected by Eskom on the 14th of August 2020. IPR supporters raised the funds and the full amount as stated on the account was finally settled in full on the 9th of October 2020, resulting in Eskom reconnecting the electricity. Just 12 days later, on the 21st of October 2020, IPR received another bill for R34,004.60. When queried how this amount could be correct for just 12 days, Eskom insisted that this amount was correct and that it was not just for the 12 days but that some errors had been made in the previous bills and it had to be paid. As with all matters pertaining to utility bills in South Africa, the policy is to pay or be disconnected – and query the account once you’ve paid.
In April 2022, Eskom reviewed the account and a credit of R37,239,33 appeared on the bill, which was subsequently contra’d out by the following bills.
In October 2022, a bill was issued for R67 047,70. A letter was written to Eskom and a payment plan was requested. As required by Eskom, an amount of R10 000 was paid against the account in order for a payment plan to be considered, and only then could a request be logged for a payment plan. The payment plan arrived too late to be signed and returned by the deadline stated and therefore another payment plan had to be requested. Another R10 000 payment was made. While negotiations regarding the payment were still in progress, Eskom arrived to disconnect the electricity supply to the sanctuary a day before the monthly bill was due. Fortunately, the disconnection did not happen upon proof of payment being issued.
In December 2022, a credit of R47 860,84 was issued against the account, leaving a balance of R230,05 which was paid. In January 2023, an account of R61 324,60 was issued. A photo of the meter reading, proving the figure for the meter reading on the Eskom bill was not correct was sent to Eskom, and R7 000,00 which lPR calculated and believed to be correct according to the meter readings, was paid. Eskom sent someone to look at the meter and followed up with an email stating that the amount of the bill was correct and the huge debit added was due to a digit being omitted from a previous meter reading on the invoice and therefore the bill was calculated incorrectly. On the 19th of February, before the next bill was even due to be received, the monthly charges (network costs, etc which have nothing to do with power consumption) on the Eskom App suddenly rocketed to R135,252.23
International Primate Rescue is obviously not able to pay this amount and is appealing to the public for financial assistance.
We need your help, desperately
Donations may be made through the donations page on the website www.iprescue.org or the IPR banking account, Nedbank, Account No: 1411431081, branch code 141148. Another way to help is to book a volunteer visit to the sanctuary. More information may be found on the website or contact Sue Mousley at suemousley@iprescue.org Tel/WhatsApp: +27 71 373 6560
Media Contact
International Primate Rescue suemousley@iprescue.org 071 373 6560 20 Boundary Road, Kromdraai, Pretoria North, South Africa http://www.iprescue.org
