WALKING through the narrow paths between informal dwellings in Blackburn Village Informal Settlemen, situated along the N2 freeway, is one of the most dangerous things to do at night. More so if you are a child. Hundreds of illegal connections dot the heavily populated settlement. Some of the connections are sellotaped together with long thin wires placed along the ground or sometimes buried under sand. They even run across the top of the roofs of some shacks, and occasionally snaking through tree branches.
This is the daily struggle for thousands of residents who call the settlement home. Not only are residents exposed to electrocuting themselves, several informal dwellings with shade cloth over them are also at risk of going up in flames should a connection short circuit and spark a fire.
The illegal connections often lead to the short circuiting of transformers which leaves residents powerless. This was the case last weekend as residents took to the N2 freeway to burn tyres and other debris in an attempt to highlight their plight. In that instance parts of the settlement were powerless for a week.
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Residents tell the Northglen News, it is bound to happen again if a lasting solution is not found. Their resolution, to install pre-paid metres and electrify the settlement.
Gonaseelan Pillay who has lived at Blackburn Village for all his life said the only way for residents to have their voices heard is to protest and shut down the N2 freeway.
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