THE South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) handed over a memorandum to Eskom following a protest outside the parastatal’s Westville office on Friday, 26 June.
Following meetings with South Durban residents, SDCEA decided action was needed, so they rallied local groups and communities and gathered outside Eskom for a peaceful protest.
Among the demands in the memorandum was for an increase in the amount of free basic electricity to ensure affordability for the poor. Pensioner, Denise Adams agrees action needs to be taken to ensure everyone can afford electricity and that more must be done to look into problems with high bills.
The 65-year-old widow had her lights cut off after being told she had amassed a bill of more than R24,000 in the last six months. SDCEA calls for Eskom to taken monthly meter readings as estimates are often higher than reality causing default on high payments.
In the memorandum, SDCEA has also called for the proposed residential tariff restricting to be revoked; an instant programme to develop a substantial amount of energy through investing in renewable energy; engagement with South Africans to develop alternate energy plans; investment in renewable energy and for Nersa to consider the environmental, health and price effects of construction of new coal stations.
