Load-shedding, power outages leave Tshwane residents frustrated
“Currently it is difficult to say when the power will be restored as employees are on strike.”
Claudia residents and the surrounding areas have been without power for more than two hours.
The ward councillor in the area Naeem Patel told Rekord that he was awaiting an update from metro officials as to when power supply would be restored.
“The matter has been escalated to the various MMC (sic) and we await feedback,” he said.
“This issue is becoming an irritation as every time after load-shedding residents suffer these blackouts.”
The councillor said it was increasingly getting difficult to get answers because employees in the region were on strike.
“Currently it is difficult to say when the power would be restored as employees are on strike.
“Our people have been patient for far too long.”
He urged residents to exercise extreme patience as the matter was currently “out of their hands”.
In ward 69, some people have been without power for five days.
Cindy Bilson confirmed that some residents in her ward have been without power for five days, and some even longer.
Bilson said residents in her ward were mostly the elderly who needed electricity to keep their food and medicine refrigerated.
“I have people that have lost everything in the last few days, they don’t have food. Workers forget that these people are paying their salaries.
“I am distraught. I don’t know what to say to residents as I also don’t have answers as to when the power will be restored,” she said.
Bilson, however, revealed that the manager responsible for the Centurion region issued a directive urging workers to go back to work as they were engaging in an illegal protest.
“The manager warned the protestors that if they don’t go back to work, they will receive no pay.”
Mmokele Seleka expressed her anger as she told Rekord that the electricity matter was frustrating as she now has to fill up a gas cylinder to cook and boil water for her kids in the morning.
“Filling up the gas cylinder is the least of my worries. I am more worried about my food as some of the meat and contents I bought are starting to go off.
“The city must just sort its issues out with its employees because we are paying our rates. We don’t want excuses or they must just come up with an alternative,” Seleka added.
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