EDITORIAL COMMENT: Once again, the Emfuleni Local Municipality has left its residents in the dark—literally and figuratively. The recent three-day power outage in Leeuhof forced frustrated residents to take to the streets, picketing outside the Duncanville Depot on February 5, demanding answers from the municipality’s electrical department.
Earlier residents had been met with silence or vague assurances that the issue was “being worked on.”
For three days, food spoiled, businesses suffered, and people were left helpless, not knowing when their lights—or their lives— would return to normal.
This is unacceptable.
In a functioning democracy, residents have a right to information. They deserve to know what caused the outage, what is being done to fix it, and—crucially—how long it will take. Transparency is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
The municipality must establish a proper communication strategy.
A simple SMS or WhatsApp alert system, a dedicated social media page with realtime updates, or even a hotline with clear answers would go a long way. Instead of dismissive responses, officials should engage with the public, explain recurring faults, and set realistic expectations.
Residents of Emfuleni don’t expect miracles. They understand that infrastructure takes time and money to maintain.
What they will no longer tolerate is being ignored. It’s time for the municipality to switch on—not just the lights, but also communication with its people.