Yet another Buffalo City Metro (BCM) township has been plunged into darkness because of illegal electricity connections.
Residents from Nompumelelo township in Beacon Bay say they have been without electricity for more than a week. Last week residents from Cambridge location had gone without electricity for six days before it was restored.
Nompumelelo residents spoke of the electricity supply to the area being cut on July 12 and when they phoned BCM to report the matter they were told electricians had to disconnect the izinyoka cables before power would be restored.
When the Dispatch visited the area yesterday morning streetlights were on but there was no electricity in homes.
Thembisa Mavuswa, who was cooking on a fire outside her home, said living without electricity was a struggle.
“We cannot afford to buy paraffin every day and we do not have gas stoves so we have no option but to make fire to boil water and cook.”
Mavuswa said that last week the residents met with the ward councillor Makhaya Bopi hoping to get answers.
“All he could tell us was that we needed to get rid of the izinyoka cables, but we are afraid to do so because we might get attacked by the izinyoka connectors,” she said.
Asanda Mjoli said he had to throw away all the food in his refrigerator when it started to rot.
“This situation is costing us a lot and we are not the ones responsible for izinyoka,” said Mjoli.
Pamela Pasana said she had called BCM “every day” to ask when the electricity would be reconnected.
“I think they got fed up with me as the consultant who answered the phone told me that they do not supply electricity to areas with izinyoka and hung up on me,” said Pasana.
Last year a five-year-old boy from the community died when he came in contact with an izinyoka cable.
By the time of writing BCM had not responded to questions sent to them and councillor Bopi could not be reached. —arethal@dispatch.co.za
Izinyoka leave another township in the dark
Residents from Nompumelelo township in Beacon Bay say they have been without electricity for more than a week. Last week residents from Cambridge location had gone without electricity for six days before it was restored.
Nompumelelo residents spoke of the electricity supply to the area being cut on July 12 and when they phoned BCM to report the matter they were told electricians had to disconnect the izinyoka cables before power would be restored.
When the Dispatch visited the area yesterday morning streetlights were on but there was no electricity in homes.
Thembisa Mavuswa, who was cooking on a fire outside her home, said living without electricity was a struggle.
“We cannot afford to buy paraffin every day and we do not have gas stoves so we have no option but to make fire to boil water and cook.”
Mavuswa said that last week the residents met with the ward councillor Makhaya Bopi hoping to get answers.
“All he could tell us was that we needed to get rid of the izinyoka cables, but we are afraid to do so because we might get attacked by the izinyoka connectors,” she said.
Asanda Mjoli said he had to throw away all the food in his refrigerator when it started to rot.
“This situation is costing us a lot and we are not the ones responsible for izinyoka,” said Mjoli.
Pamela Pasana said she had called BCM “every day” to ask when the electricity would be reconnected.
“I think they got fed up with me as the consultant who answered the phone told me that they do not supply electricity to areas with izinyoka and hung up on me,” said Pasana.
Last year a five-year-old boy from the community died when he came in contact with an izinyoka cable.
By the time of writing BCM had not responded to questions sent to them and councillor Bopi could not be reached. —arethal@dispatch.co.za
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