Zone 10 residents demand to be reconnected
They allege that the utility informed them that the box was small, and therefore could not carry the demand of the houses.
A group of frustrated Meadowlands Zone 10 residents closed off all activities on Van Onselen Road and nearby roads into Dobsonville on Thursday June 8, demanding electricity.
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The group took to the streets burning types and saying they won’t move until their electricity is reconnected.
They said they were tired of Eskom’s failures and non-communication regarding their mini sub-station debacle.
“We are not getting any help. What annoys us is that the angriest get their boxes fixed in a short time but we have remained with no answers, it is only us who are supposed to follow up with them, the officials don’t care,” pensioner Sisi Mlangani told Urban News.
The transformer in the area was damaged by the floods last December, leaving 92 houses in the dark. This also affected two retail establishments in the area.
The power utility installed a new mini sub-station in the area in February which residents allege only worked for half a day, before they were left in the dark again.
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They allege that the utility informed them that the box was small, and therefore could not carry the demand of the houses.
“They came to check the box but still nothing was done. They came to normalize small boxes but the technicians told us that because of the six people who did not pay, they won’t fix it.
“The area manager lied and said we fiddle with box which is not true, how when the box is locked,” explains committee member, Matlida Munyai.
She alleged that they had been told that Eskom was waiting for the correct size sub-station to be delivered however this seemed not to be the case, as they only learnt on Thursday through an Eskom official that their box was only ordered that morning, after they took to the streets the previous night.
Munyai said she found it odd that the box was ordered after their protest, which indicated that they would spend more months in the dark as Eskom did not care to service them.
“We were shocked because all along we thought the box was already approved. They tell us to wait seven days but we know that they are lying, that’s what they have said since the beginning.
“We have been waiting for nearly seven months and now we are told to wait again for seven days,” a frustrated Munyai continued.
Fair Price manager, Ntsako Mgwambani said the business was losing money, in order to keep the doors open. The business spends about R22 500 every month for diesel since the issue began.
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“It has been bad because every two days we have to buy diesel for R1500. That is a lot of money when you combine the months which we haven’t had electricity.
“The store was paying for electricity but we are unable to be reconnected because every time Eskom tries to switch it on, the community fights.”
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