Protest action over ongoing electricity outage
IRATE community members from eMfekaye in Mtubatuba have threatened to intensify protest action if their electricity supply is not restored speedily.
Residents have been without power since 19 December when an Eskom transformer 'exploded'.
They took to the N2 on Wednesday night, blocking the road in protest over Eskom’s failure to restore electricity supply to the area.
Ward councillor Phila Mthiyane told the Zululand Observer that he has 'tried by all means' to get Eskom to fix the transformer, adding that Wednesday’s protest was not the first.
The first protest resulted in KwaMsane Saps station commander committing to intervene and resolve the issue.
Mthiyane acknowledged that some residents have bypassed electricity meters, which was noted by Eskom when they came to assess the faulty transformer.
According to the councillor, livestock has been stolen under the cover of darkness, a matter which has been reported to the police.
Resident Sabelo Mfekaye also commented that the community is 'suffering', with many having to buy, prepare and consume food on a daily basis as they can no longer keep it refrigerated.
Another community member, Sizakele Mkhwanazi said some locals cross the road to ward 19 for assistance in storing food or ironing clothes.
'Eskom does not want to install electricity for us, and we don’t know why,' Mkhwanazi said.
He added that the community is aware the transformers servicing the area were installed in 1996 back when there were fewer houses.
It seems the population growth has increased the load on the transformers.
Eskom technicians were expected to fix the transformer on Wednesday, however, the contractor could not make it.
'That is why the community took to the streets, because their grief is being ignored,' Mthiyane said.
'Community members are now angry because they were willing to meet Eskom halfway with regards to paying for the service once the transformer is fixed. Now it is beyond my control.'
He said one area in eMfekaye has been without electricity for four months after a transformer exploded.
Eskom had not responded to a media enquiry at the time of going to print.