Protesters unhappy with Duvha’s decision

Residents from Masekhane Informal Settlement took to Duvha Power Station in protest against the power house’s decision to source outside the area.

On Monday evening, March 20, the power utility held an outage and recruited a number of qualified artisans to handle the outage.

Protesters set fire to branches and tyres blocking the road towards Duvha Power Station.

On Tuesday morning protesters made six blockades along the road to Duvha Power Station by parking trucks in the middle of the road, the keys to each truck were taken and hidden so that the trucks could not be moved – the blockades were held at the truck depo, Golden Mile Estate, Corrobrick, Masekhane Centre, the northern entrance to the power station and another after the Duvha Bridge.

Middelburg Public Order Policing stands by with a watchful eye as the protesters huddle outside the main gate to Duvha Power Station.

Protesters then took to the main gate of Duvha Power Station where they began their protest voicing their disdain for the power station not hiring from the settlement.

“They took our CVs from us but no one was hired instead bus loads of other people came in and got jobs – they take us for stupid,” said one of the strikers.

Middelburg Public Order Policing were called in to handle the strike and arrived in their numbers. The strikers quieted down and huddled together – word among the strikers was that they feared being arrested or worse.

FULL GALLERY:

Police demanded that the strikers hand over the keys to the trucks so that the barricades may be cleared, but the strikers were reluctant to point out who among them were in possession of the keys.

“People with specific skill sets were sourced to handle the outage, in these situations qualified artisans and electricians are hired,” said Eskom National Spokesperson, Mr Khulu Phasiwe.

ALSO READ:

https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/78646/tut-students-start-solidarity-protest-over-the-fees-must-fall/

https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/84405/protest-at-kwaguqa-and-on-the-n4-highway/