Promosa residents protest unexplained power outages

The residents of Promosa have had enough of the recurring power outages. On 23 May, Thursday evening, the power went out again between 17h30 and 19h00, marking the third consecutive week of unexplained disruptions. Despite there being no official load shedding schedule, certain parts of Promosa have faced repeated power cuts. Initially, electricity was cut off at midnight and restored by 6 AM the following morning. The community tolerated these interruptions without protest.

However, when the outages started occurring earlier in the evenings, the Promosa community decided to take action. On Thursday evening, when the power was cut at 17h30, residents from the Grens area in the upper part of Promosa staged a protest. They gathered tires, blocked the Dassierand road, and set the tires on fire. Approximately ten minutes after the fires were ignited, power was restored.

The police arrived at the scene, and the protesters explained their ongoing issues. Bradley Sherman Lavars, a resident of Promosa, stated that the police contacted the mayor, requesting his presence to discuss the power problems affecting the community. “One of the main concerns raised was the illegal connections from the main power lines to the informal settlements’ shacks. However, the community decided not to cut or damage anyone’s power cables, stating that it was the mayor’s responsibility to address the issue since he had given permission for these connections,” said Lavars.

Lavars also mentioned, “Despite promising to address the community on Friday morning, the mayor did not show up.” The residents of Promosa continue to demand answers and a solution to their power problems.
The JB Marks Municipality communications division did not respond to these allegations and events. The residents of Promosa remain steadfast in their quest for reliable power and accountability from their leaders.