eMBALENHLE -Residents are becoming hot-tempered due to the continued electricity crisis in the area.
They are now talking about gathering for a protest and are using various social media platforms to mobilise.
Locals are without power almost every day and they have taken to social media to air their views.
“I do not have electricity at all, because when I leave for work there is no electricity at my place and when I return, there is still no electricity.
“This now getting out of hand and I think it is time we take it to the streets. Violence is the only language the municipality understands,” said a resident.
Residents of Extention 14 have also raised their concerns over the municipal loadshedding schedule and constant power interruptions.
They alleged that in their area power cuts occur more often than in other areas.
The residents said they experience long hours with no electricity, while other areas such as Extension 4 only experience about three hours daily.
“Are we not part of the Govan Mbeki Municipality. We pay our rates and services. We have to be treated accordingly,” said a resident.
The residents added that they have lost count of how often they have tried to speak to the municipality about the matter, but without any luck.
Business owners have also complained that their businesses are being affected.
They complained that the bakery in the area is also affected by the power interruptions and have to throw away dough daily.
The residents also criticised the G9 Councillors and said they do not care about what is happening in the area.
“They were all over the place even during the recent protest and told us they want to fix things. They even kept us up to date about the developments. Ms Thandi Ngxonono must also address us.
“We need a way forward. It can not be left like this.
We do not want to protest and burn things, but it seems like we have no other choice.”
Some parts of Ext 18 have been without electricity since Wednesday, 12 June after a transformer caught fire.
Govan Mbeki Municipality fire department was summoned, however, they were not allowed to do their work as angry residents stoned the fire trucks and fled the scene.
The fire was extinguished by the community members. In March, Ms Ngxonono, executive mayor, announced that GMM has appointed Bigen Africa as the service provider to address the current electricity crisis in eMbalenhle.
The company will bridge finance and build two 11kV Double Circuit Chickadee Lines from the Bracken Station to the existing municipal ring, switching stations to address the current capacity shortage of 10MVA.
They will also bridge finance to ensure that an adequate supply is made available.
According to information posted by the municipality on Facebook, eMbalenhle’s electricity is supplied solely by Langverwagcht Substation which is fed from the Eskom MTS Sol 132/22kV by two 20MVA transformers using two 22kV Wolf lines.
According to the press release, the lack of transmission capacity on these lines and a delayed response to an increase in electricity demands, have led to the electricity crisis within the area.
At the time of going to the press, the municipality had not commented.
UPDATE – 20 June 2019:
eMBALENHLE – Disgruntled residents have threatened to take to the streets if the Govan Mbeki Municipality does not address the electricty woes in the area.
The municipality conducted community meetings at four various places yesterday to speak about the electricity problems.
However three of the meetings collapsed as residents were not satisfied with the municipality’s explanation.
Ms Thandi Ngxonono, executive mayor, told the residents who attended a meeting at Sijongile Damase Hall, that at the centre of the electricity crisis is the culture of illegal connections and non payment of services.
Residents did not want to hear that and told her to step aside and to take the electricity back to Eskom.
The residents are set to have a community meeting on Sunday, 23 June at the Risko Fakude Stadium to discuss a way forward.
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