Emfuleni residents shut down electricity department entrance
The entrance to Emfuleni Local Municipality's electricity department has been blocked as residents demand power restoration.
Vereeniging residents blocked the entrance to the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) electricity department offices in Duncanville this morning (May 20).
Sedibeng Ster reports that employees arrived to find burning tyres and debris at the entrance, with residents, particularly from Stanley and Senator Marks avenues, demanding reconnection to the electricity supply they claim they have been without for approximately two weeks.
Residents demand answers
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, residents said it was unjust that only two streets in the town had allegedly been without electricity for two weeks.
“The municipality is saying that we have overloaded and that they are going to be bringing in smart meters. How is it that only two streets can overload in the whole big town of Vereeniging?” they asked.
Locked out
ELM MMC for Waste Jonas Radebe was among those prevented from entering the premises by residents.
“I have tried to plead with them to at least let employees from my department get in, and get out equipment (trucks) to get to work, but they do not budge. We have trucks to remove waste but they won’t let us do our work. I am busy on the line (phone) now with their (ward) councillor,” said Radebe.
Municipality responds
ELM spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni said the electrical department is handling the matter.
“Residents who buy electricity have every right to demand electricity but those who have done illegal connections have no standing to demand (electricity), and they must accept fines and smart metering immediately before being reconnected and their transformer being fixed.”
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