Power cut protest: cops fire rubber bullets
The police fired rubber bullets to disperse a group of Aloevale residents who protested outside the town hall on Wednesday evening, blocking traffic on the N6 with burning tyres, after electricity infrastructure was damaged by a storm on Sunday.
Several areas in Komani were hit with power outages caused by the storm.
Affected areas included parts of Mlungisi, where an electricity pole transformer box caught fire, Melton Gardens, where an electricity pole fell to the ground and has not been fixed, parts of Ezibeleni, Nkululekweni, Top Town and others.
The municipality managed to repair some during the week.
However, Aloevale has been without power all week and frustrated residents camped outside a substation in Newvale to monitor technicians from East London who were working on site.
Ward 12 councillor Bulelani Mgoqi said he was informed by the technicians that they could not detect the fault with the transformer, and therefore could not assist.
Early on Wednesday evening, Aloevale residents burnt tyres outside the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) technical services department, demanding to speak to the manager, Madoda Matola, who they said had ignored their phone calls.
Resident Joyce George, 65, said the municipality did not prioritise matters concerning coloured people and was quick to call police to intimidate them.
“Every time we raise our concerns we are met with the police first before the leadership, but you did not see that when Ezibeleni burnt the town hall two weeks ago.
“The mayor immediately availed herself to speak to them, but because we are coloured we are shot at without anyone finding out what the trouble is.
“I survive on medication that needs to be in the fridge and I am struggling because the ice in the freezer which I used these past few days has melted.
“Our children bath with cold water. We are throwing away food that would have been in a good state if there was electricity. We pay for our services and yet we have no electricity.
“They are quick to block us, even indigent people when they do not pay. This is unfair treatment.”
Another resident, Lamla Tsotso, said it was sad that residents had to resort to violence to be taken seriously.
Melton Gardens resident John Plaatjie said they were dependent on a borehole to access water, but it needed power to function.
“We are stuck here without water and electricity and there has not been any communication from the municipality which is very frustrating.“
“I spoke to Matola who initially promised electricity would be restored on Monday, but in our latest communication, he said it could take up to two weeks to fix the problem.“
EMLM spokesperson Lonwabo Kowa said: “In Amberdale, there was [storm] damage on the main line . . .
“Power lines in Melton Gardens were also damaged, but a service provider will be working to restore power in the area on Thursday. In Ezibeleni and Queendustria electricity supply was interrupted on Monday and the matter has been attended to.”
EMLM mayor Luleka Gubula promised Aloevale residents their power would be restored on Thursday.
Addressing residents outside the town hall while the police and fire fighters extinguished the burning tyres and removed the debris blocking the road, she said: “If we have to divert the electricity connectivity from Aloevale to another substation, that is what will happen so there is power in the area.
“We treat all people the same, regardless of their race or political affiliation,” she said, adding that she did not hesitate to come speak to them.
Gubula apologised on behalf of the police for shooting at residents, who merely wanted their voices heard.
“I would also like to apologise on behalf of Matola for the way he conducted himself. We have our own ways of dealing with people [like him]. We did not anticipate fixing the cable faults would take so long and we are truly sorry things had to end this way.”