Residents from Riverside Park and surrounding areas in Umzinto are frustrated with the electricity issues they have faced these past few days resulting in them turning to protest action in hopes of the matter being given high priority.

Earlier today (June 6) protesters gathered near Riverside Park. They closed roads, burnt tyres and demanded answers from Eskom as to why they have gone days without electricity.

Saps met with the protesters and the situation was eventually brought under control. It is believed that the protest action came to an end around midday. But the people still do not have power.

Councillor Saleem Mahomed from the Democratic Alliance has kept a close eye on the matter, explaining that the community had contacted him to escalate the matter with Eskom.

He was advised that there was a cable fault with issues over spares required, and cable theft.

Mahomed said that during the outage residents lost perishable food items such as meat and vegetables and that the food had to be disposed of.

“Riverside Park residents consist of old aged, pensioners on a state grant, unemployed, low Income group,” he said.

“This crisis has devastated the households who do not have the finances to replace these food items. Daily water outages adds to the troubles of the community. Currently school children are writing test and exams and find it difficult to study.”

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