26 September 2024
The Dunoon ward councillor’s office closed after residents dump trash on the doorstep last week. Photos: Peter Luhanga.
A ward councillor’s office in Dunoon, Cape Town, was closed last week after garbage was dumped at the door in a protest over electricity.
Repeated shack fires have left about 36 families in Ekuphumuleni Section R informal settlement without power for a year. They want Eskom to restore their supply and replace their electricity boxes and meters.
People have been relying on charcoal and paraffin stoves, which they say is dangerous and expensive. A R45 bag of charcoal, they say, lasts only a few days.
“We’ve been complaining to our leaders but to date we have not been helped,” said Thadazwa Makala, who rebuilt her home with bricks after a fire in October last year. She has five children.
Similarly, Yolanda Mphekwana, a young mother who is preparing for her upcoming matric exams while nursing her seven-month-old infant, has not had power for a year.
“We have to borrow money to buy paraffin just to cook, but it’s not safe for the baby,” Mphekwana said. “We still need to heat water, cook meals, bathe, and iron clothes for work and school, and without electricity, it’s a constant struggle.”
Ward 104 Councillor Messie Makuwa (ANC) said the City had advised her to stay away from the office for safety reasons.
“I won’t return to the office until the City says it is safe to do so,” she said.
She said it’s the second time this has happened.
Makuwa said she had followed up with Eskom numerous times regarding the reinstallation of electricity, only to be informed that they are “waiting on a work order”.
She said that three weeks ago she invited Eskom to set up a pop-up office at the municipal hall, where residents could voice their grievances directly. Eskom representatives attended and addressed concerns raised by the community.
Eskom spokesperson Danielle Lewis said several homes have been re-electrified following the fires. The remaining customers are being prioritised.
She said the power utility is experiencing an increasing number of equipment failures in Dunoon and its surrounding areas due to illegal connections. Recently Eskom vehicles were targeted and stoned by community members during an operation to remove illegal connections.
Yolanda Mphekwana, 20, cares for her seven-month-old while preparing for her upcoming matric exams.