MEMBERS of the community have been left high and dry in Ulundi after the local municipality disconnected the supply of electricity to the old legislative assembly building.

MEMBERS of the community have been left high and dry in Ulundi after the local municipality disconnected the supply of electricity to the old legislative assembly building.

The building now houses various government departments, including Home Affairs, Education, Health, Local Government and Traditional Affairs and Public Works and about 7000 employees..

Since last Wednesday there has been no electricity and all departments have been forced to close shop.

It was confirmed that the Department of Public Works owes the local municipality R3, 2 million for electricity.

Some employees said when the electricity went off they thought it was "just a minor technical problem."

One of the employees Sowetan spoke to described the building as a "dark city".

"We have been coming to work to do absolutely nothing," he said.

"We just arrive in the morning and sit in the corridors where there is sun and wait for instructions on whether to go home or sit until we knock off at 4pm."

He said though there was an generator it could only light up offices on the ground floor, which is where employees normally sit and where Home Affairs is situated.