Soweto residents took Eskom to court yesterday at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, for not having electricity for more than five months in Mapetla and Molestane.
Residents asked the court to reinstate their electricity by granting them permission to make a minimum payment of R100 every month but Judge Marcus Senyatsi dismissed the urgency of the case and tore the application handed in by the Lungelo Lethu Human Rights Foundation.
In August 2019 Gauteng News reported on Mapetla extension residents not having electricity for three months, they were informed by Eskom that auditors would be sent to the affected households and conduct an audit to assist clear the bill. Soweto alone owes Eskom R18 billion in debt, however, most households affected by the blackout are owned by pensioners who pleaded with Eskom to meet them half way by allowing them to pay R100 per month.
King Sibiya is the president of the foundation who he represented the 250 Soweto residents at South Gauteng court. The foundation wanted the court to order Eskom to alleviate the debt owed by Soweto residents.
Judge Senyatsi questioned Sibiya why residents werenot cited as applicants and why the foundation didn’tseek legal assistantce from Legal Aid, lawyers For Human Rights and Wits Law to represent them.
Residents were disappointed to receive the response they got from the judge and most people who attended the court case were pensioners, who also expressed great disappointment.
Furthermore, Sibiya added that a public meeting will be held on 17 November next to the Regina Mundi Catholic Church to discuss the way forward following the court case this week.
