Illegal electricity connections have been removed at eMabondeni informal settlement in Germiston, Ekurhuleni . The operation was conducted by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department and it’s task team members on Tuesday. The connections supplied various households in the area.
Graham Gersbach,Ward 92 Councillor said that this was eMabondeni’s third attempt at connecting illegal connections in the area after they were removed by the EMPD in May and Junewhich led to violent protests and closure of Barbara road.
“On 29 May in consultation with myself the Energy Department went ahead to remove illegal connections which led to protests on Barbara Road by residents of eMabondeni and it wasn’t long before they were restored,” he said.
Community members said they have resorted to such behavior because the majority of them are largely affected and that this is an issue of service delivery in the area. The local councillor had been approached to address this issue.
One resident said students and learners are impacted as they have to be online for research purposes. Without electricity they are unable to charge their devices.
“When students and learners are not studying they end up resorting to crime”,the resident said.
Another resident said that they were given solar batteries in which some worked for only a period of time and due to lack of sunshine during winter the Solar’s do not charge properly.
“We are very concerned with the education of our children ”,the resident expressed.
The resident also added by saying that the elderly and children are affected by this.
The residents have admitted to using illegal cable connections.
“We have resorted to ‘izinyokanyoka’ because our cries are not heard”,the resident said.
Councillor Gersbach told Gauteng News he does not attend to service delivery issues in Elandsfontein where eMabondeni is located. He said he visits the area from time to time.
“More members of my ward committee come from the suburb than any other voting district in the ward and the issues are recorded every month in my ward committee meetings”
“I have WhatsApp groups for raising service delivery issues for every suburb in my ward”, he said.
