Residents of Protea Glen in Soweto have taken to the streets to protest against what they call unfair treatment by power utility Eskom.
Residents have barricaded all roads leading in and out of the area and motorists are urged to avoid the area.
Secretary of the Protea Glen Crisis Committee Phelelani Sindane says the community is unhappy that Eskom is disconnecting their power without notifying them and that they have to R6000 after a breach for reconnection.
“Those who have breached admit the guilt and say they are willing to come into some form of agreement and pay but Eskom is not willing to allow them to pay in instalments. They want them to pay a once off and these people don’t have that money. People are buying electricity from Eskom employees. So Eskom employees are creating a market and when the community start using that market, Eskom says people are breaching electricity.”
JHB – Soweto: #ProtestAction RT @sjivijovo Randfontein road closed.. stay away from Protea Glen
— Rob Beezy (@TrafficSA) August 23, 2018
On his Twitter page, Eskom Spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe says Soweto owes the power utility over R12-billion and that power supply was off to defaulting customers.
NOTICE: Some residents of Protea Glen Ext. 29 in Soweto have blockaded roads in that area this morning in protest against Eskom’s recent power cuts to defaulting customers. They also reject the installation of prepaid meters. Soweto alone owes Eskom over R12bn.@Eskom_SA pic.twitter.com/zTAmrNy4do
— Khulu Phasiwe (@KhuluPhasiwe) August 23, 2018
