BOPHELONG.- Frustrated Bophelong residents burned tyres in front of the gate of Ward Councillor, Nana Banda’s house in Bophelong this week.
The angry residents were protesting against electricity cut-offs in the area. The residents from Muvhango Extension 2 and other areas have found themselves without electricity for weeks on end. When they arrived at Banda’s house they would not listen to anyone and were baying for her blood, only to be met by locked gates. The frightened Banda was inside her house with her family, afraid of the chanting mob.
What would have turned into a riot was defused by Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) national spokesperson, Appa Pooe, who promised that he would follow up the matter with the councillor.
Pooe added that it was not advisable for people to vent their anger by destroying property.
Banda told Sedibeng Ster that an overloaded transformer was behind the repeated electricity failures in the area adding that there were other areas in the region that were experiencing the same electric cut-offs and that the municipality had to sleeve up to install new transformers as most cannot be repaired.
“It is not true that the residents of Extension 2 have been without electric for three weeks as they alleged. Due to the Covid-19 regulations and restriction, there’s no way that I can call public meeting. However, I always try to inform those with mobile phones and ask them to further send the message to other neighbours, said Banda.
The residents threatened to resume protests if their complaints are not adhered to.
Immediately after the community members left the area, police and some of the Emfuleni Local Municipality police arrived. Neighbours managed to control the burning tyres.
