Brentwood Park residents fed up with blackouts

Residents barricaded West and Main streets in protest of ongoing power outages.

June 8, 2023

Jani de Beer 3 minutes read

Residents patiently wait to sign the Power to Us petition.

A group of irate Brentwood Park residents and business owners took to the streets on June 2, barricading streets within the suburb to express their frustrations with continuous rolling blackouts.

Blocking Main and West streets from 13:00, supporters of the Power to Us movement embarked on a peaceful protest demanding answers relating to power outages.

They claim these outages have been plaguing parts of the suburb for up to seven hours daily, since April.

According to Jakes van Heerden, spokesperson for the community, the outages started when an electricity cable to an incomplete industrial development, in West Street, was connected to the grid.

“Power to the suburb goes out daily, like clockwork. What is strange is when you pass this development, then lights are seen burning and contractors continue working without the assistance of generators,” he said.

Community spokesperson Jakes van Heerden addressed Brentwood Park residents and business owners before the group proceeded to blockade Main and West streets as part of the Power to Us protests held on June 2.

“How is it possible that we are left in the dark, yet this development still has power?”

Yolandi O’Neill, the owner of DO Automotive, said that her panel beating business has been successfully operating since 2007.

Under normal circumstances, the business can release up to five vehicles per day, but due to the continuous blackouts, the team is only able to complete repairs and release two vehicles daily.

“Load-shedding has, unfortunately, become a way of life and we have adapted to work around the schedule, but how do you operate when blackouts occur daily? We are not getting answers,” said O’Neill.

“As a result, we have had to spend thousands on backup generation capacity, recently, just so that our business can survive.

Yolandi O’Neill, the owner of DO Automotive, stands outside the spray booth, which cannot operate due to ongoing unscheduled power outages.

“It is disheartening to sit in the dark, while an incomplete development across the road has lights shining.”

Another frustrated businessman, Ricky Knoetze, said that the protest was arranged and mobilised within 12 hours.

“Our community WhatsApp group has been inundated with complaints about the never-ending power outages, yet no answers were forthcoming,” said Knoetse.

“Out of pure frustration, I created the Power to Us group and within minutes it gained 300 members. We decided that the only way to have our voices heard is to stage a protest during which a petition with a list of our demands to the City of Ekurhuleni could be signed.

“Seeing how many people showed up is proof that the Brentwood Park community is fed-up and demand action.”

Newly elected Ward 25 Clr Danie Putter address the protesters, committing to having their concerns heard.

Speaking to the community, newly elected Ward 25 Clr Danie Putter committed to taking the concerns raised to the council chambers and to commit to resolving the issues.

“I was only sworn in as a ward councillor last week and, therefore, I cannot pretend that I have answers right now,” said Putter.

“I am however here to tell you that I am listening to your grievances and will take it to the relevant departments to not just get answers but to force action to be taken.”

He said that he will investigate the reasons why an incomplete industrial development has uninterrupted power, even during scheduled load-shedding, as the community allege.

Solomon Maila, an employee from a local business, added his voice to the cause, saying that the continuous outages are leading to job insecurity.

Solomon Maila, an employee at a local business says the ongoing power outages are leading to job insecurity.

“We know that businesses cannot make money when there the power is off and we realise that when having to spend thousands on generators and diesel, employers often have to look at their overheads to offset the costs. I do not want to lose my job because the metro cannot keep the lights on,” said Maila.

“Lengthy power outages also put us in danger, as criminals use the opportunity to strike businesses whose security systems are not functioning.”

Knoetze confirmed on June 5 that apart from scheduled load-shedding, no other power outages have occurred in the area.

Questions relating to the ongoing power outages have been submitted to the metro’s media department, but no comment had been received at the time of publication.

For more information or to sign a copy of the petition, WhatsApp van Heerden on 071 130 7653.