The IFP-led municipality of AbaQulusi in Northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is under fire for visiting apartheid on its black townships.
Drama erupted when municipal manager Sbonga Dlamini wrote to the communities, in IsiZulu, indicating that the municipality would implement power cuts from September 8, 2025 to May 2026, from 5pm to 9pm and 5am to 9am daily. But the areas targeted are where black people live.
The angry residents of Mondlo, Shoba, Hlobane, Ngoje, Coronationville, Cliffdale and Vaalbank responded by accusing Dlamini of targeting them only because they are black during a protest.
Communities, which comprise about 14 000 households, also claimed that the area not included in the load-reduction schedule was the white residential area of Vryheid.
This triggered civil organisation Izwi Labantu Forum to complain to the municipality and it even brought in its lawyers to the fight. Forum chairperson Norma Mbatha said it was contentious that the IFP-led council was targeting only black communities.
“This is gross discrimination and a double standard, where the burden is unfairly shifted to the poorer communities who already endure service delivery neglect. To worsen the injustice, the affected areas already experience very high unemployment and widespread poverty. Subjecting these struggling households to load reduction while protecting Vryheid deepens inequality and further marginalises communities that are already disadvantaged.
“The municipality further admits that the major contributors to its R293.45-million debt to Eskom are tampered meters, illegal connections and outdated infrastructure. Instead of addressing these root causes, the AbaQulusi municipality has chosen to scapegoat rural and township households,” said Mbatha, adding that load reduction should be halted immediately.
“The municipality must account for why Vryheid, the single largest contributor to electricity losses, is excluded from load reduction.
“A transparent, fair, and inclusive consultation process must be followed before any drastic measures are imposed. Sustainable solutions must focus on infrastructure investment, action against illegal connections, and equal enforcement across all areas, not discrimination,” said Mbatha.
The forum said the municipality was punishing rural residents while protecting Vryheid.
In its letter to Dlamini and mayor Khehla Mkhwanazi on September 7, the forum wrote that it was disappointed that the municipality had already decided to cut power to the black communities without any public consultation.
On September 9, forum lawyers Nkosi Attorneys wrote to Mkhwanazi and Dlamini, threatening court action,if the municipality failed to sort out the unfairness.
But it seems the affected communities gained an unexpected ally. KZN MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) and IFP member, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, sided with the residents, telling local councillors to start respecting their constituents when he addressed them at Mondlo stadium.
“Councillors should start respecting communities. The law governing municipalities states that if there are issues affecting communities, the councillors should notify communities first. As Cogta, we request that you give us a chance to get answers from AbaQulusi.
“We want to get solutions on this matter.”
On Friday, Buthelezi’s office said it had noted with concern the protest action by residents of Mondlo the day before against power cuts and appealed for calm.
He urged residents to allow space for dialogue.
Yesterday, Mkhwanazi and Dlamini told Sunday World that they were in meetings and would not comment on the matter.
