Residents threaten to block roads if council fails to react to memorandum about prepaid meters

Residents from Delmore and Ulana informal settlements embarked on a peaceful march on June 22 to the metro’s energy department in Boksburg North to ask for prepaid electricity meters.

From as early as 6am they were already on their way to Boksburg North using Main Reef Road while being escorted by EMPD vehicles.

Observing social distancing protocols and having their face masks on, community leaders handed over their memorandum to one of the officials from the department.

The memorandum read: “As Delmore community we are sick and tired of izinyokanyoka (illegal connection).We need prepaid electrical boxes. We won’t fail to pay for electricity once we get prepaid meters”.

They gave the municipality seven days to respond to their pleas.

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According to one of the community leaders, Sizwe Hlatswayo, the community has made a decision to plead with the municipality to install prepaid meters so they can stop illegal connections.

“It’s no secret that our area has been plagued by illegal connections, but we want to play our part in meeting Eskom half way. If the municipality can install prepaid meters we will buy electricity, we don’t have a problem with that,” Hlatswayo said.

Residents said in winter the power sometimes trips due to overloading and they end up sleeping in cold, dark shacks if they don’t have money to buy paraffin and candles.

Hlatswayo said the reason why they are pushing for prepaid meters is that illegal connections pose dangers to their lives and that of their children.

Another community leader, Sabelo Nyawo, said if they don’t hear anything from the municipality they will be forced to close the main roads in and around the area until they respond.

The Advertiser is still awaiting comment from the metro.

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Watch: War against illegal connections in Boksburg