WATCH: Diepkloof residents lash out after three months without electricity

Diepkloof residents took to the streets in anger, after allegedly being left powerless for three months.

Local councillor Patrick Magalefa said: “The situation in zone 5 started in April. We communicated with the residents, we went to Eskom, and they promised to come. At a later stage, Eskom wanted us to fill out forms and the community did it, but now Eskom is failing to respond on the needs of the community.”

One of the protesting residents accused a mysterious Eskom employee known simply as Brian, of being behind the disconnections.

The anonymous resident said: “There is this other guy called Brian at Eskom. He is responsible for switching our electricity on and off. When we recall, according to Covid-19 laws everyone should have electricity. Brian in our block, block 44, he doesn’t want to switch the electricity on, because there is a neighbouring school that did illegal connections.’’

Another resident lamented: “We were fired because of coronavirus. We don’t work, kids are not going to school, and we don’t have money. So president Cyril Ramaphosa, the counsellor, and Eskom they must reach an agreement.”

Members of the community say they tried to have a conference call with Eskom to resolve the issue earlier on Thursday, to no avail.

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