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A score of Qwaqwa residents barricaded the roads demanding an electricity supply.
Tumelo Khotha
(The Post News)- On Thursday morning, Qwaqwa residents in the Free State brought services to a standstill due to unrest caused by a power cut.
The disgruntled residents took to the streets, accusing the municipality of “misbehaviour” for switching off electricity without properly adhering to the scheduled times.
They barricaded all entrances of the area with burning tyres, stones, tree branches, and steel items.
They claim that they are unable to buy paraffin and fill up their gas bottles while they have already bought electricity coupons that don’t work for them.
In addition to this, the National Department of Electricity and Energy led by Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa clearly stated that there has been no load-shedding for over the past 100 days in a row.
As a result of this matter, a lot of businesses have been shut down due to a poor electricity supply that led to most of the employees being axed.
Speaking to The Post News, the community leader Sebakeng Modikoe said the municipal leadership should be reshuffled and that most of the municipal managers don’t have management and leadership skills.
“They claim that the population has increased and overwhelmed the transformers. According to me, they were supposed to add enough transformers and seal up the meter boxes to force every household to buy coupons,” adds Madikoe.
He further pointed out that the unrest will continue until the municipality hears the needs of the residents.
Another resident who didn’t want to be named for the sake of her safety said the municipality must hand over the full supply of electricity to the national power utility, Eskom.
She accused the municipality of corruption. “We struggle to have a power supply because of the corrupt municipal leaders who have no vision.”
On the other hand, Council Speaker of Maluti A Phofung (MAP) local municipality Mandlenkosi Dlamini admitted earlier that the municipality has failed the residents.
He stated, “Indeed we have to go back to the drawing board and find solutions to the problems that affect our communities,” he said.
Furthermore, he urged the residents to calm down as the municipality is working on solving their grievances.
In addition, MAP owes Eskom billions of rands due to non-payment.
No workers reported to work today because of the fear for their lives.
Provincial police spokesman, Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring confirmed to the media organisations that no arrests or injuries have been reported yet.
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