UPDATE: Residents left in the dark turn violent

A cut in overtime costs by KwaDukuza municipality was at the root of the violent protest at Shaka’s Head over the weekend.

Residents who were without electricity for most of the weekend closed the N2 overpass and stoned 11 vehicles, injuring four motorists.

A KDM employee who asked not to be named said a memo had been sent to electricity department staff last Wednesday by municipal manager Nhlanhla Mdakane, stating they would not be allowed to work more than 40 hours overtime in a one-month cycle.

Also read: 11 vehicles stoned by Shaka’s Head protesters

The municipality’s annual report showed that R773 527 had been spent on overtime, about R21 000 more than the previous year.

“There are no standby teams for emergencies and this plan was not well thought out. Everyone had already worked over 40 hours of the cycle and the next cycle will only begin on March 10.

“When parts of KwaDukuza experienced electricity outages, the officials contracted workers from outside the municipality to attend to some of the places because they had already told their own staff not to report for duty,” he said.

After having been without electricity for 11 hours, Shaka’s Head protesters closed the N2 and part of R102 on Sunday night, stoning passing cars which included an ambulance.

“They attacked my daughter as she drove up the Shaka’s Head on-ramp on the N2,” said Paul Gahagan.

“They traumatised her, smashed her car windows and windscreen, broke a headlight and threw bricks at her.

“Not a single traffic police vehicle was available to warn other innocent drivers not to take the on-ramp. But drive 60 km/h in Umhlali village and four traffic police leap out to fine you,” said an angry Gahagan.

However, Shaka’s Head resident Melanie Govensamy said she understood the protester’s frustration but condemned their violent behaviour.

“Food that was left in the fridge went off, it is hot and you cannot even put a fan on. Who pays us back when we have to stock up on groceries? We wasted airtime calling KDM and all we were told was that there was no one to come out and that the fault will only be fixed on Monday. What kind of service is that?”

Other areas including some parts of Ballito, Stanger and Glendale had also reportedly been without electricity since Saturday night.

Residents of a Ballito estate are planning to take legal action against KDM by filing a class action lawsuit.

This is where the residents of the estate will take collective action by claiming any damages or expenses that they incurred as a result of the power outage.

A resident of a farm in Cranbrook, Glendale, said farmers were left frustrated and helpless. KDM knowledge and communications officer Sphelelo Ngobese said the municipality condemned the illegal protest by Shaka’s Head residents as it amounted to “chaos and criminality”.

“On Monday, we managed to restore power to the affected areas but we are deeply disturbed by the fashion that this matter was handled.”

Also read: ANCYL calls for pay parking review

He said the power outage was caused by a damaged transformer that affected Shaka’s Head, Etete, Malende and Manor Estate.

“We have been hard at work together with a contractor in a bid to reconnect the affected areas to the network.” Defending the overtime cuts, KDM media liaison officer Sipho Mkhize said all muncipalities were issued a circular from National Treasury to put costcontaining measures in place.

“It must be stated that for the current financial year council approved a budget of R47, 026,129 for overtime. By the end of January 2018 the overtime cost stood at R28, 887,524.

“It is clear that overtime is used, in some instances, for purposes other than those it was originally intended for. In such cases employees will earn exceedingly high on overtime compared to their normal salary.”

Umhlali SAPS captain Vinny Pillay has appealed for victims of the violent protest to come forward and open a case.

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