No electricity leads to community protest

Tsakani – The Langaville community blocked off Black Road and Madelane Street near the Duduza rank with burning tyres, stones and tree branches on June 18.

Community members took to the streets, protesting a lack of electricity and demanding power. The communities of Ext 7 had been without power since the previous afternoon and have experienced frequent power outages in the area since early this year.

Community member Phumulani Dlamini said they were told the area regularly experiences cable theft.

“We’ve experienced power outages without warnings. The community is tired of having endless community meetings without help or a way forward.

“We wrote a petition and a memorandum of grievances, which we submitted at the Germiston and Brakpan municipal offices. We have not received responses to our grievances, and the municipality has not acknowledged our complaints.

“This is why we took our grievances to the streets – to be heard because we demand feedback or a report stating the facts related to our issue,” said Dlamini.

Dlamini said their ward councillor, who fails to attend to their issues when any arise, aggravates them.

“Njabulo Mbonani is a community leader who takes us for granted. Whenever we lodge electricity complaints, he tells us he can do nothing about it. He never comes up with ways to resolve our issue,” cited Dlamini.

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Dlamini added that another frustration about not having electricity is damage to appliances.

“The electricity going on and off now and again damages our electrical appliances and food in the fridge. It is uncalled for. Just last week, we had no electricity. We are forced to experience the same thing this week,” added Dlamini.

Another angry resident, Mathisa Phooko (69), said everything comes as a surprise to them because they are never consulted about an issue that affects them, and, at his age, he cannot find employment, which is why the issue negatively affects him.

“I am forced to live in an area that deprives me of proper electrical and water supply. I buy electricity monthly but do not have full access to the electricity I pay for.

“I slept without electricity on Monday evening and woke up without electricity again. I have not eaten, cannot make food, and cannot consume my medication on an empty stomach. Our councillor continuously fails us by not representing our grievances in higher offices,” said Phooko.

Ward 79 Clr Njabulo Mbonani said he insisted on taking a few community members with him last Tuesday to submit a memorandum of grievances and a petition to the Germiston and Brakpan municipal offices.

He said he is trying by all means to get the issues resolved to restore order in the community.

“I called for the submission of grievances in writing because I realised the electricity problem in the area is getting out of hand. I furthermore submitted the memorandum to the mayor’s office by email.

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“I did a follow-up, and the metro acknowledged receiving the complaints and promised to revert to us. I am still doing follow-up with the mayor’s office.

“The community needs to understand I am doing my utmost best to try and help solve the matter,” said Mbonani.

Mbonani further explained that the technicians on site have experienced difficulties repairing the cable and urged community members to bear with him because he has been on site with them.

We await comments from the CoE.