Power failure makes hostel residents sweat

SEBOKENG. – Sebokeng Hostel dwellers arrived in force with their own tools, sleeves up, to dig furrows and help Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) employees lay new electrical cables following the recent cable theft at the hostel in Sebokeng.
A huge number of community members endured a massive power loss which lasted for four days as result of cable theft. Papi Nkane, a community leader, said about eight metres of electric cable was stolen from under the ground near the hostel. “We could not wait for the municipality to come at their own time to replace the cable. The reason we sleeved up was that we were told by officials that there’s no money for new cables, that is why we wanted to do things ourselves.”
Xolani Ntelezi, Chairperson of the patrollers in the area said that the community demands that the area be beefed up with patrollers. “Onlookers turn out to believe they are witnessing municipal workers in action when, in fact, cables are being stolen. We need more man power.”
ELM employees, said that they can only effect repairs, maintenance or replacement of cables up to the jurisdiction of the municipality and that beyond that, everything falls under the jurisdiction of Eskom therefore residents could still find themselves without electricity if the thefts continue beyond our control.
“Its dark here, there must be security guards,” said Ntelezi adding that they feel sorry for the owners of properties that were reported to have been vandalised near Thabong due to the cut-offs. “I will advice owners of the businesses to open criminal cases. We do not promote vandalism,” he said.