UP: Tshwane's disconnection campaign "political grandstanding that could've been avoided"
The University of Pretoria (UP) has hit back at the campaign by the City of Tshwane that saw officials wanting to disconnect power at the University's Hillcrest Campus on Friday due to non-payment.
UP describes this as nothing but “political grandstanding that could’ve been avoided”.
The comments by the University come amidst the City of Tshwane’s campaign that kicked off this week to recover R17 billion owed by customers.
This campaign targeted big business, government departments, embassies and residential properties.
UP spokesperson Rikus Delport says Tshwane’s “PR stunts” could’ve been avoided.
ALSO READ: Fatal bus crash on the way to Beitbridge border in Limpopo
“The University of Pretoria is disappointed at the way in which the City of Tshwane attempted to cut off its electricity supply to one of its campuses claiming that the university owes it R34 million. I think these smell of political grandstanding and is a PR stunt which could’ve been avoided.”
The University has since paid the City of Tshwane but says legal representatives will be handling the matter.
“The dispute is ongoing, so our legal representatives are working with the City of Tshwane in trying to sort it out and we’ll continue to do so because we believe this is not a fair way to treat one of its largest clients. So, it will benefit the both of us if we could get to the bottom of this,” adds Delport.
