Eskom-Diepkloof war over prolonged power outages intensifies
Residents blocked the N1 Freeway disrupting traffic in both directions between Randshow and Diepkloof on Monday morning.
The Eskom-Diepkloof electricity crisis continues and this time, residents of Diepkloof Zone 3 took their protest to another level when they went for the N1 Freeway, disrupting traffic in both directions between Randshow and Diepkloof. In the past few weeks they have been blocking the Soweto Highway.
According to JMPD spokesperson, Wayne Minaar, residents had blocked the N1 with rocks and burning tyres from as early as 6:00am on Monday.
“Traffic is affected in Diepkloof where protesters have placed rocks and burning tyres on the Soweto Highway at the intersection with Immink Drive. There is also obstruction on the N1 Freeway at the Soweto Highway off-ramps where motorists should be cautious. Chris Hani road is also obstructed close to Pimville Modjadji Street, motorists in Soweto can use Union Road as an alternative this morning,” Minaar said.
The protest is due to prolonged electricity outages that affected about 700 households in Zone 3 Diepkloof.
Power utility, Eskom, says the outages are due to high energy losses as a result of illegal connections, meter bypassing and buying electricity from ghost vendors.
As a result, the power utility has fined the residents and they are requested to pay reconnection fees of R6 052 per household before supply can be restored.
