Eskom activists forge on despite threats
Two leaders of the KSD Concerned Residents, a civil movement fighting for Mthatha residents’ demand to circumvent the municipal authority and buy electricity directly from Eskom, claim they have been receiving intimidating calls from unknown people.
This was revealed by the movement’s task team deputy chair, Shakes Mbengo, at a public meeting at the Savoy Gardens attended by at least 300 residents on Thursday.
He told the Dispatch he and his chair, Phikolomzi Adonis, had each received calls from “private” numbers recently warning them about the consequences of their work.
“Basixelela ukuba lo mnyango siwuvulileyo asizukwazi ukuwuvala [they told us we will not be able to close the door we have opened],” he said.
He said they had not reported the calls to police as they believed there was not much the police could do about it.
“We all know that a person can buy a SIM card on the street for R10, make a call and then discard it immediately.”
Mbengo said they would not back down.
The public meeting was to inform Mthatha residents about the work done by the movement and to canvass for new ideas on how to force KSD to allow citizens to buy power from Eskom directly.
Phendule Mbewu, who has stayed in Mthatha for 13 years, suggested that a trust fund be set up so that people could deposit money to hire lawyers.
This was after Adonis told them they were working on several proposals, including taking the municipality to court.
He said despite arguing their case on why they wanted to switch to Eskom, and even handing over a petition with thousands of signatures from residents, KSD municipal bosses had refused to accede to their demand.
KSD hit back, saying Nersa had approved the tariffs and KSD had been given a distribution licence by Nersa.