Angered Ward 7 residents at Santombe village under Umzimvubu local municipality at Masexibeni have been leaving in the dark for almost a week now since the power utility Eskom cut their illegally connected electricity.
SMME’s at Santombe are now running a loss as their businesses are no longer operating as usual. People who were renting flats that side are moving to nearby villages that have electricity.
Speaking on behalf of Eskom, Philisiwe Gabela says their aim is to remove all structures that contribute to energy losses and those that are dangerous to the people. Gabela advises people to go to their nearest Eskom or local municipality and ask for legal electrification.
“We are leaving in fear of our lives. It’s dark in here now, thieves come and go as they are pleased because we are in the dark. You can’t even tell what’s happening in your neighbor’s house as you can’t see nothing”, says Aphiwe Njomi a resident from Santombe.
Meanwhile, ward 7 councillor Nkululeko Xolo says Santombe residents have been using that illegally connected electricity for more than Five years now and Eskom was aware of this this whole time, as there are Eskom cables that were connected on the same poles that the residents used to connect for themselves illegally. Xolo added that the residents were made aware prior that the illegally connected electricity will be cut. Weeks earlier Eskom did some inspections and found out that there are illegal connections and there’s meter tempering in some boxes, residents were not paying for electricity.
One of Santombe residents who asked to be kept anonymous says this whole thing took them by surprise, their lives have changed completely. Paraffin is too expensive in tuckshops, as it costs round about R25 a litre. Stating that they cannot even iron their clothes.
Residents are urged to come forward and report illegal connections and save lives.
Those who want to apply for electricity can either visit Eskom Website or call Eskom.
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[…] Siyabonga Mgoqi, a community leader says they are being failed by the government, and that people are getting electrocuted by these illegal connections. […]