DRIEKOP – Fed up of not having electricity for a period of 16 years, residents of Frans Village blockaded the R37 with stones and burnt tyres. The protesters complained that their lack of electricity resulted in two people being burnt as they used paraffin stoves.
The angry residents hit the road on Wednesday October 8, bringing traffic to a standstill.
“We are tired of empty promises and we demand action,” they said. They alleged that they were promised electricity by the Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) in 1998, but to this day their homes had no lights.
“We have seen many villages get better services than ours. We are tired of being sidelined by our municipality. We don’t see the purpose of keeping the local councillor, Ms Joyce Riba in her position because she does nothing for our community. She has electricity and we don’t, she does not know what it feels like.”
The spokesman for GTM, Mr Thabiso Mokoena admitted that the municipality was aware of the village’s electrical problems. “We met with the community members on October 12, to hear their concerns and we will meet again during the course of the week in order to solve this crisis,” Mokoena said.
ANC Youth League (Ancyl) secretary, Mr Eddie Maile and South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) chairman in Tubatse, Mr Jackson Tjatji, addressed the protesters and said they would strive to ensure their homes were electrified.
“You have the right to strike when you are not happy, the local councillor does not care about your needs. I am touched when I see people suffering due to lack of services,” Tjatji said.
He said it was by coincidence that he witnessed the protest. “I was on my way to Polokwane and I was shocked to see the villagers striking. The municipality has to ensure they get electricity, we cannot allow a situation where people live without power, that is unacceptable,” he added.
He promised community members that he would help them in reporting the matter to the provincial government.
