Eskom says it fears for the safety of its employees following two violent incidents involving its vehicles in the Western Cape. Both drivers of the vehicles escaped unharmed.
The first vehicle was stoned and set alight by protestors in Khayelitsha and the second vehicle was stoned in the Bardale area in Mfuleni.
#EskomWesternCape has suspended operations in Khayelitsha, Cape Town with immediate effect after an Eskom vehicle was stoned and set alight.
We will continue assessing the risk and provide an update when the situation has changed. pic.twitter.com/d6muxTWGr1
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) July 20, 2020
Eskom has since released a statement condemning the incidents which are allegedly attributed to the recent spike in land invasions in the province.
“Eskom strongly condemns the harassment of its employees who are simply carrying out their duties. We have taken the decision to withdraw all Eskom services to parts of Khayelitsha and the entire Bardale area in Mfuleni.”
stated Alwie Lester, General Manager for Distribution, Western Cape.
“Unfortunately customer faults will not be attended to until these areas are declared safe for Eskom to return,” reads the statement.
Eskom working with police
Eskom says it is working closely with the police and its own security services to ensure the safety of the power utility staff in Khayelitsha, on the Cape Flats.
General Manager for Distribution in the Western Cape, Alwie Lester, condemned the attacks.
“Fortunately, our staff are not hurt and managed to escape unharmed. The risk to them is far too high to continue this service. Our plan is to resume services to these areas once we are able to go in there safely with the support of SAPS and our security services as well. In the interim, we ask our customers to be patient and understand that we unable to deliver services to these areas while they remain unstable and unsafe for us to enter.”
Below is the full statement on the incidents:
