Electricity blocked for over 200 homes, residents take to streets

Angry residents of Enkululekweni marched on municipal offices Thursday, demanding that their electricity be unblocked after more than 200 households found they could no longer buy power.

The protest follows a decision by Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality to block electricity purchases for households with outstanding municipal debt.

Acting Mayor Unathi Galada said the move is part of a data collection drive to identify indigent households.

“We want to collect data so that we know who is indigent and not. We can’t do a blanket approach and open electricity for everyone,” Galada said.

“They must come to my office so that I present the case and it gets opened. Those who are indigent must come to the office and make an arrangement.”

Galada acknowledged that many residents have large debts, including accumulated interest, and said she is pushing council to “erase debt and clean the debt” for those who qualify.

He added that the municipality is working to prevent Eskom from taking over electricity supply.

“We are talking about rates and refuse, we want to collect data of every household. Many people last paid in 2011. We won’t change what we are saying and we will not unblock. We won’t do a blanket approach. We can’t open electricity for everyone as there will be those that will hide behind indigents,” said Galada.

Residents disputed the approach.

Community member Simphiwe Mntuyedwa said the municipality is “confused in bringing services to the people.”

“The municipality blocked electricity to everyone and must open to everyone. Must have an office in the ward where people will go and check their debts. We want the municipality to unblock our electricity now,” Mntuyedwa said.

He added that some houses “have never had water but have accounts” and warned: “If they don’t unblock us, we will be forced to steal electricity. We said we are tired of stealing electricity and want to buy. We agreed that they will not block us as long as we are buying electricity. We don’t know how they are calculating our accounts.”

Elias Magwayi said even households on the indigent register have been blocked.

“Some are paying but have been blocked. I did the indigent register but my electricity has been blocked.They say they blocked us because of refuse removal which is not even collected in our area. The area is for indigents. We feel that we are being robbed by the municipality,” Magwayi said.

Magwayi said there was a previous agreement that electricity would not be blocked if residents were buying it.

“More than 200 households have noticed that they are blocked as they were going to buy electricity.”

Mnyamezeli Sana questioned how rates are calculated, noting that refuse collection does not happen in Nkulekweni.

“We don’t know how they are calculating the rates. Our area is dirty as no refuse truck has entered the area in years. We are being victimised by the municipality,” Sana said.

Galada agreed to unblock the electricity until Monday to allow residents to prepare their documents and to verify their indigent status and make payment arrangements.