eNseleni community vows to intensify protest should Eskom not step in

While eNseleni residents took to the streets on Monday in protest over no electricity, the City of uMhlathuze said they have prevented Eskom from performing an audit on illegal connections.

Blockading all roads in and out of the township with burning debris and tyres, communities from Jamela and Etsheni threatened to intensify their protest if electricity is not restored.

Workers, teachers and pupils were prevented access to the area as a result of the protest action.

Speaking to the Zululand Observer, residents said they have been without electricity for a long period, despite calling on the local councillor for assistance.

One disgruntled resident, Sifiso Pule, claimed that last May, electricity went off in the Etsheni area, while those in Jamela have been without power for almost a year.

“The problem is that a transformer burst and no one is willing to help,” said Pule.

“Late last year, we had a meeting with someone from Eskom who promised to get back to us with answers, but he never returned.

“When we called, he made it clear he was not coming back to address our challenges.

Pule added that if Eskom refuses to attend to their plight, they would be forced to stage a protest at the Eskom offices.

City of uMhlathuze communications manager Bongani Gina said the municipality is aware of the electrical outage, as the ward councillor reported the matter to both them and to Eskom.

“A community meeting was called and it was resolved that Eskom had to conduct a door-to-door audit for illegal electrical connections.

“When Eskom officials visited the area to conduct the audit, residents locked their gates and doors, preventing them from doing so. That made it hard for Eskom to replace the damaged transformer,” he said.

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