Locals blame Govan Mbeki Municipality after toddler dies in house fire
Locals are still facing constant unbearable power interruptions in the area which affect their lives negatively, especially during the Covid-19 lockdown.
eMBALENHLE – Angry residents have taken to the social media to blame the Govan Mbeki Municipality for the death of a two-year-old-girl who died in a house fire on Tuesday, 7 July.
Her 60-year-old grandmother and a 13-year-old girl were rescued and taken to the hospital.
It is alleged that the fire originated from a candle.
Locals said the constant power outages in the area are putting them at risk and it is now life threatening.
They said they are forced to use candles which are not safe at all for the elderly and children.
Locals are still facing constant unbearable power interruptions in the area which affect their lives negatively, especially during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Learners and students have been complaining about the struggle to do schoolwork online, because when the power is off, it becomes a struggling to connect to the internet.
This has led to protests and locals voicing their lack of confidence in the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
Reports surfaced that in certain Wards, locals held councillors and their children hostage, demanding answers regarding the power cuts.
Mr Felani Mndebele, municipal manager at Govan Mbeki Municipality, told the Ridge Times on Monday, 29 June, that the Gert Sibande District Municipality is now handling the electricity matter in the area after Eskom disengaged with the Govan Municipality.
He said Eskom disengaged with the municipality as it was struggling to pay the current debt. He said at this stage the Gert Sibande Municipality is handling the matter well and hopes to get a long lasting solution.
“The talks are that as soon as Bigen Afrika completes the project, Eskom is asked to provide a mobile transformer temporally until all the processes are done.
“We hope Eskom will agree because that can ease the situation in eMbalenhle,” Mr Mdebele said.
The newspaper contacted Mr Mndebele on Monday, 13 July and asked him about updates, but he could not give answers and claimed he was attending a virtual meeting.
He referred the journalist to Mr Benzi Soko, chief of staff.
Mr Soko had not commented at the time of going to the press.
