Protesters tired of izinyoka ‘ ’

Angry Newvale residents barricaded Dahlia Street with burning tyres on Monday in protest against illegal electricity connections.

Speaking to The Rep, resident Noluvuyo Mshekisi said wires and cables ran through a field from Aloe T informal settlement to poles in the area, causing an overload and resulting in power outages. We have reported this

“matter several times to the municipality, but it is still not resolved.

This problem has been

“going on for five years and previous mayors were also informed about this, including Sisisi Tolashe.

We thought since she grew “up in Komani, our problem would be solved, but nothing was done.

Our councillor, Bulelani

“

Mgoqi, is also aware but instead we heard Aloe T residents have a video of [him] assisting with these illegal connections,” Mshekisi claimed.

She said the area recently experienced a power outage that lasted for a week and community members had visited the mayor s office to

’ demand a solution.

The situation is a problem, “especially around this time [in winter].

Aloe T has about 500

“shacks. This is unfair because we pay for electricity while they [Aloe T residents] get it free.

We do not want to fight

“because they are our brothers and sisters, but we want our electricity.”

Mshekisi said no municipal official had responded to the protest this week, adding that the crowd was tear-gassed and dispersed by the police.

Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality spokesperson Lonwabo Kowa said illegal connections were widespread in EMLM, with Newvale one of the worst-hit areas. Aloe-T residents were

“responsible for most of the illegal connections in Newvale. Numerous meetings were

“held and the ward councillor, Bulelani Mgoqi, has held awareness campaigns on the impact of illegal connections and tampering with electricity infrastructure. Municipal technicians have “ disconnected the illegal connections in Newvale but izinyoka keep making clandestine connections.”

Kowa said a temporary plan aimed at providing electricity for Aloe-T was in place. This would mean that each “household, including Aloe-T, will pay for electricity. This is at its preliminary planning stage, but currently there are no funds available.

The permanent solution is “the installation of smart metre boxes by the municipality. The project was to begin in April, but was stalled by lockdown.

Illegal connections cost EMLM millions ”, Kowa said.

“