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- Residents in Wesbank and surrounding areas marched to the Eskom building in Bellville on Thursday.
- They are calling for an end to the rolling blackouts they have experienced for months on end.
- Residents also want the electricity minister to visit the area.
Frustrated Wesbank, Delft, Camelot, Happy Valley, Blackheath, and Eerste River residents took to the streets on Thursday, demanding urgent intervention from power utility Eskom over a lack of electricity.
They want Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa to help them get their lights switched back on after numerous calls for action by community leaders have been fruitless.
Some residents say they have been without power for more than seven months due to cable theft, vandalism, and illegal connections.
Many say they are forced to travel to family members in other areas to cook and wash themselves.
Residents Rashieda Manuel and Samuel Arendse told News24 that outages had been a "headache" for months.
"We honestly can't live like this. To not have power for a very long time is madness. It's inhumane and extremely upsetting. When we ask for updates, we get told the [power] utility is working on the problem. They've been working on this problem for months, and [there is] still no outcome," said Arendse.
Manuel said residents shouldn't have to drive to other areas to use electricity.
"Not only is this an interruption to our family and friends' lives because they are accommodating us, but it also puts a hole in our pockets because of unnecessary travelling money. That is money that Eskom does not refund us.
"This is not how people should be living. Having a household full of people and no electricity is the worst feeling, and it's enough to drive someone up the wall. I'm so angry with Eskom," Manuel fumed.
The rowdy protesters started burning tyres in the street as they became agitated by the long wait for the ward councillor to address their concerns while the police kept a watchful eye on the protest.
Western Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said public order police were deployed to restore calm.
"Approximately 50 disgruntled community members took to the streets to voice their anger relating to poor service delivery. We cannot confirm reports of anyone who sustained injuries," said Swartbooi.
A resident who burnt tyres told News24 it was the only way to get officials to take note of their plight.
"Ek was al amper vrek geskiet (I was almost shot dead) due to the blackouts. The crime in Wesbank is hectic. This rolling blackouts is making things worse because criminals are using it as leverage to shoot at us," said the resident.
READ | Stellenbosch: Bonniemile residents endure 100 hours of power outages due to cable thefts
No to violence
Ward councillor Ebrahim Sawant said that when he arrived to address the protesters, tyres were already burning.
He condemned the violence that broke out.
"I don't condone the burning of anything during a protest. I understand the concerns and frustration of residents not having power, but unfortunately, I am not the one who needs to provide power.
"It has been an ongoing battle trying to get Eskom to provide power to the area," said Sawant.
Sawant said he had been in constant communication with Eskom since last year to address the electricity issues, however, no proper solutions were given as to when the lights would be back on.
"We are constantly told by Eskom it's due to cable theft and illegal connections. I believe that there is more to this because we cannot have our people without electricity supply for this long. We want the minister to come and see what we are dealing with in the area," he added.
Sawant said if Ramokgopa failed to visit the area within the next two weeks, they would approach the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
By midday on Thursday, the residents marched down to the Eskom building in Bellville to hand over a detailed memorandum.
They called for Ramokgopa to do a walkabout in the area to see the residents living without power.
"We want to request the national minister of electricity to pay a visit to these communities by no later than 19 October 2023, after which complete load shedding in these areas must stop.
"Should the minister ignore [our] reasonable request, we will contemplate legal action with the support of the South African Human Rights Commission," said Sawant.
In the memorandum, residents demanded:
- New meter boxes: The majority of the new meter boxes are the ones that are currently problematic. The resident loses signal, and they are not able to punch in electricity due to a faulty keypad.
- Street lights: Previously, the City of Cape Town used to attend to the street lights in Wesbank, but we have been notified that street lights in Eskom-supplied areas now fall under Eskom. We need clarity on how streetlights should be reported.
- Registration of the new meter box and meter number: The technicians or contractors do not explain how the purchase and registration process works to the customer.
- Timeframes: We are given a timeframe of 14 days, of which no technician has ever physically come to check the box or even communicate with the homeowner. After 14 days, the communication we receive from customer service is that it could take another 21 [days].
Eskom response
Eskom confirmed they received the memorandum.
Spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said there had been ongoing meetings with the community leaders of Wesbank and surrounding areas to resolve the crisis.
Trish Da Silva, Eskom's senior manager of retail, expressed her gratitude to the community for their patience and highlighted that Eskom was aware of the numerous challenges the residents face.
"These electricity-related challenges are coupled with theft and vandalism, illegal connections, and extensive damage to the Eskom infrastructure caused by the recent floods. Eskom continues to repair the network, which includes substations and damaged powerlines.
"We are intensifying relationships with our valued stakeholders and communities in finding sustainable solutions to fight the scourge of illegal connections and vandalism that cause these prolonged interruptions," said Da Silva.
She added that communities must protect the Eskom infrastructure and safeguard its employees who perform their duties in volatile areas.
"We want to ensure that our paying customers can enjoy a reliable electricity supply," she added.
