Boipatong community fight electricity cut-offs
“We are sick and tired of empty promises. We sit the whole winter without electricity, and they expect us to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic."
BOIPATONG.- The community of Boipatong took their frustrations to the street as they closed all roads in the area in protest of electricity cut-offs this week.
The community barricaded all the roads in Boipatong and at the intersection of Frikkie Meyer Boulevard and Delfos Boulevard in Vanderbijlpark. Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, the angry Boipatong community said that they have not had electricity for a month now. 
They said several attempts were made to report this situation but with no success. The Sedibeng area has been riddled with the electricity cut-off protests lately and the community members told Sedibeng Ster that they will continue to barricade the roads until they are heard.
“We are sick and tired of empty promises. We sit the whole winter without electricity, and they expect us to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Why, because the very same government told us this virus likes the cold?
“We will continue to block the roads until they do something about our situation,” said angry residents.
Meanwhile, the Vaal Electricity Task Team, made up of officials from the Office of Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, City of Johannesburg (CoJ) officials, Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) officials and Eskom officials held a virtual meeting on Tuesday.
It is said that during the meeting it was discovered that over 200 transformers have blown in various parts of the region due to overloading, leaving many residents without electricity. The Task Team pleaded with community members for co-operation for technicians to work safely and unhindered. Residents are also warned of people pretending to be Eskom or ELM officials who are robbing unsuspecting families of their valuables.
