Residents of Mdantsane’s Unit 3 are up in arms after damage caused by Buffalo City Metro construction workers in front of their houses left them without electricity for three weeks.
Nocwaka Bavuma said they had reported the matter to the municipality a number of times.
“They were upgrading the road in order to tar it and the power cables underground were damaged in that process,” Bavuma said.
She said after initial queries had been made, municipal officials told them to be patient as they did not have the budget to fix the problem.
But when the Daily Dispatch contacted the municipality for comment on Tuesday, a response was issued yesterday saying the matter had been attended to and power was back on.
Bavuma confirmed this.
She said: “My son went to report this to the municipality with our committee and they were told that the cables would only arrive in three to six months.”
Bavuma said the lack of electricity had caused great losses.
“This happened before receiving our grants.
“Most of the people here are pensioners and when we bought food we thought this would only last for a few days, but now the food from our refrigerators is rotten.”
Nontobeko Xhelo said the situation had a negative impact on their children. “We can’t iron our children’s school uniforms. Everything here is a mess without electricity,” she said. “No-one from the municipality bothered to come and talk to us so we can understand what is going on.”
Zola Gwazela said they were relying on paraffin for cooking.
“We are being disrespected, we are living in darkness. We have to buy paraffin every day.” He added that the elderly were left to idle their time away. We have no TV or radio for entertainment and all we can do is to sit outside and watch people who roam up and down these streets.”
He said they were told that it was not budgeted for this year.
“They tell us that there is no money and there are no cables and also that we are not part of their budget this year. They had stopped working here and only came back on Monday after we told them that we are going to the media,” Gwazela said.
Yesterday afternoon BCM spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond said power in the area had been restored.
“The city can confirm that a roads construction contractor did hit and damage a number of cables which were repaired.
“But additional cables were needed and the order took up to three weeks for the cables to be delivered.”
Residents in the dark for three weeks
Nocwaka Bavuma said they had reported the matter to the municipality a number of times.
“They were upgrading the road in order to tar it and the power cables underground were damaged in that process,” Bavuma said.
She said after initial queries had been made, municipal officials told them to be patient as they did not have the budget to fix the problem.
But when the Daily Dispatch contacted the municipality for comment on Tuesday, a response was issued yesterday saying the matter had been attended to and power was back on.
Bavuma confirmed this.
She said: “My son went to report this to the municipality with our committee and they were told that the cables would only arrive in three to six months.”
Bavuma said the lack of electricity had caused great losses.
“This happened before receiving our grants.
“Most of the people here are pensioners and when we bought food we thought this would only last for a few days, but now the food from our refrigerators is rotten.”
Nontobeko Xhelo said the situation had a negative impact on their children. “We can’t iron our children’s school uniforms. Everything here is a mess without electricity,” she said. “No-one from the municipality bothered to come and talk to us so we can understand what is going on.”
Zola Gwazela said they were relying on paraffin for cooking.
“We are being disrespected, we are living in darkness. We have to buy paraffin every day.” He added that the elderly were left to idle their time away. We have no TV or radio for entertainment and all we can do is to sit outside and watch people who roam up and down these streets.”
He said they were told that it was not budgeted for this year.
“They tell us that there is no money and there are no cables and also that we are not part of their budget this year. They had stopped working here and only came back on Monday after we told them that we are going to the media,” Gwazela said.
Yesterday afternoon BCM spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond said power in the area had been restored.
“The city can confirm that a roads construction contractor did hit and damage a number of cables which were repaired.
“But additional cables were needed and the order took up to three weeks for the cables to be delivered.”
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