Blackout over illegal connections

PUPILS and educators at Klipfontein Methodist Primary School have been struggling in the dark due to the school’s electricity connection having been disconnected.

A transformer connecting the school to the electricity grid has been damaged because illegal connections from an adjacent informal settlement have affected the entire area.

The school caters for 420 pupils and 15 educators, and its electrical equipment has been idle since the power was disconnected, and teachers have had to revert to the chalkboard instead of print-outs.

School governing body member Wilhemina van der Berg told Cape Times: “In this age and generation it is draining and demoralising to go back to the old ways of doing things.”

Although not sure of the exact age, Van der Berg said the school was almost 100 years old, and she too was a pupil there.

“This is affecting learning and teaching. We can’t handle this any more. Our lives are going backwards. We are experiencing extra costs. The children are behind in their work,” she pointed out.

Provincial education department spokesperson Paddy Attwell said the school obtained its electricity from a transformer which was located outside the school grounds, in the local community.

“Our information is that Eskom does not want to replace the transformer because of the ongoing problem with illegal connections,” said Attwell.

He said the department’s district office had worked with the school to look at all options, and had applied for the placement of a transformer within the school grounds.

“They have considered a generator, but this is apparently impractical, given the requirements of 14 classrooms and administration offices. Meanwhile, schooling is continuing as normally as possible in the circumstances,” added Attwell.

Eskom said the illegal connections caused faults and overloading, which resulted in unplanned interruptions and difficulties in restoring the power.

The utility added it was prohibited by law to formally electrify the settlement because it is on privately owned land.

“As Eskom, we are concerned about the safety impact these unsafe illegal connections has on the community,” it said.