By Lee-Yandra Paulsen

Since last Friday, Elsies River residents have been grappling with persistent electricity outages, triggering a series of protests and safety concerns in the area. Reports indicate that community members, frustrated by the prolonged power cuts, have resorted to burning tyres and engaging in demonstrations, particularly in Clarke Estate.

Speaking to VOC Breakfast on Wednesday, Elsies River’s PRO and CEO of Inspire Network, Imraahn Mukaddam, shed light on the escalating situation. According to Mukaddam, the protests have been intensifying since Sunday evening, with 35th Avenue becoming a focal point for disruptions due to its status as a busy road. He expressed concern over the growing lawlessness, attributing it to criminals taking advantage of the chaos by vandalizing and removing power cables, exacerbating safety issues in the community.

Mukaddam emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “The problem is still with Eskom. We understand the issue of cable theft, but the community also has the duty to hold them accountable for the outages.” He called on Eskom to expedite the resolution of the power issues and restore electricity to alleviate the unbearable loss experienced by the community.

Meanwhile, Eskom released a statement revealing that it has restored 60% of power supply to affected areas, including Elsies River, Uitsig, Bishop Lavis, Cravenby, and surrounding suburbs. However, full restoration is expected by Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at 9 pm. Although delays persist due to an unscheduled outage on November 17, 2023, with Eskom teams addressing faults caused by vandalism to multiple infrastructure elements.

Furthermore, Mukaddam highlighted an incident involving the targeting of a local councillor Christopher Jordaan, whose house was visited by protesters burning tyres—a disturbing development that Mukaddam deemed uncalled for.

Mukaddam further stressed the need for responsible residents to engage with law enforcement and quell the lawless elements within the community. He pointed out that the sporadic nature of the protests coincides with the departure of law enforcement, allowing criminal elements to return.

In response to these challenges, both the Community Policing Forum (CPF) and community leaders are urging residents to play a role in restoring order. Mukaddam concluded by advocating for long-term solutions to address the root causes of lawlessness in the volatile Elsies River community, emphasizing the crucial role Eskom plays in mitigating the disruptions caused by power outages.

VOC News

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