With the country’s on-going rolling blackouts continuing to cause havoc in people’s lives and affecting different industries, the Mocumi family at Tlakgameng village, near Vryburg in the North West, says they lost everything because of rolling blackouts.
Their house was razed by fire, which they allege, was sparked by rolling blackouts. The family is now staying in a backroom, uncertain, whether or not Eskom will compensate them for their loss.
Meshack Mocumi, the owner of the house, says he built the house for his family with his retirement savings, in order to give the family comfort and security, in his retirement.
Mocumi says his family escaped certain death, after being rescued by neighbours, who noticed smoke coming from the house.
Meshack Mocumi, the home owner says, “It was load shedding when my house burnt. It was on the 15th of July. The load shedding started at 8. We switched everything off. We have power lights. We unplugged everything and went to sleep. Just around past ten when the electricity came back, we heard people breaking into the house. That is when my house was burning, and those people were helping us. Just when i swiftly left my bedroom, I saw fire. It was the electricity box burning.”
Video – Eskom announces Stage 4 rolling blackouts from 12 noon until 5am Monday morning:
Their three children were pulled from the bedroom through windows. Their mother’s scars are evidence of their ordeal. Despite her injuries, Senwelo Mocumi is more worried, about whether of not, Eskom, will compensate them, for their losses.
“Eskom sent me a claim form on the 22nd of September. We have claimed and gave them everything needed information. They took pictures of the house, i even gave them the certificate of the electrician who worked the house more than ten years ago and we have never had electricity problems. Why did we start having this problem during load shedding? Which led to the house burning,” said Mochumi.
The incident has created fear in the community. They now see rolling blackouts, not only as an inconvenience, but a possible danger to their lives.
“We are concerned about this load-shedding. It’s affecting us because we’ll end up homeless,” said one resident.
“This is heart-breaking, we are now worried. Especially after this house got burnt,” added another resident.
“Our lives are at a standstill because of load shedding,” concluded another resident.
Eskom undertook to investigate all claims, related to rolling blackouts, but the power utility, insists, most incidents, affects, mainly electric appliances.
Matsheng Baruti from Eskom North West, “Eskom is willing and ready to help customers who allege that their homes burned as a result of load shedding by thoroughly and meticulously investigating any claims brought to Eskom’s attention.
The majority of the claims we are receiving are in respect of burnt or damaged appliances and equipment where customers allege that the cause is our electricity in most of the cases, appliances. And equipment that damaged or banned by misuse of electricity and illegal activities.”
The Mocumi family, which lost everything in the fire, now, survive on hand-outs, from the community, while waiting to hear from Eskom.
Video – Impact of rolling blackouts to health facilities in South Africa:
