Protests erupt in Lenasia over electricity disconnections

Residents of the Meriting informal settlement near Lenasia have embarked on protest action in the suburb, following electricity disconnections by Johannesburg’s City Power.

The protestors have blocked Nirvana Drive with rocks and burning tyres and the situation remains tense.

Nirvana Drive is one of the arterial routes leading out of Lenasia.

Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Xolani Fihla has urged motorists to use alternate routes.

“Nirvana Drive in Lenasia near Trade Route Mall is barricaded with rocks and burning tyres between Scorpio Drive and Arcturus Street. It’s alleged that they are protesting over an electricity outage following an earlier operation where illegal electricity connections were disconnected.”

“The situation in the area is tense as we’ve received reports that passing vehicles were earlier stoned by the protestors,” Fihla said.

Fihla added that JMPD officers have been deployed to Nirvana Drive and advised motorists to avoid the area.

Last month residents of Finetown also embarked on protest action over electricity.

Protestors blocked off the K43 highway with rocks and burning tyres and also the intersection between Golden Highway between Patrice and Provincial Road and the Grasmere toll road.

The protests erupted after Eskom disconnected the electricity in the area due to nonpayment and illegal connections.

A truck was also looted and torched, allegedly by the protestors on the N1 South at Grasmere while the truck driver was assaulted and robbed of his cellphone prior to the looting.

Meanwhile, Eskom said that stage 2 load shedding will be implemented until Friday morning due to shortage of generation capacity, Eskom has confirmed.

“Eskom regrets to inform the public that the implementation of Stage 2 load shedding will be extended to Wednesday night from 5pm until 5am and at the same time on Thursday night,” the power utility said in a statement on Tuesday evening.

The power utility also suspended load shedding in KwaZulu-Natal after the province was battered by torrential rain and flooding in several areas, which has so far claimed over 250 lives.

ALSO READ: KZN Flooding: Eskom shows heart and suspends load shedding in flood-ravaged KZN