Fed-up residents and business owners in several parts of Johannesburg took to the streets this week to protest against ongoing power cuts and poor services.
Service delivery protests started in Eldorado Park’s ward 17 on Tuesday, where angry residents blockaded roads with rubble and burning tyres. Sporadic protests dampen for a short while before flaring up again.
On Wednesday Caleb Finn, ward 70 councillor in Roodepoort, warned that a planned shutdown in the area would result in road closures and traffic disruptions.
Johannesburg mayor Thapelo Gwamanda visited Fleurhof on Thursday to receive a memorandum of grievances from community members. He was given until Friday next week to respond.
Speaking to Sunday World on Thursday afternoon, Finn said the situation had returned to normal in Fleurhof.
“The Fleurhof community consists of approximately 10 000 households which were built by developers. Unfortunately, the government has been slow to provide facilities in the area,” Finn said.
“The frustration caused by this, combined with generally poor service delivery across the city, has contributed to the protest action.
“I am hopeful that the issues raised can be resolved and, where necessary, plans are implemented to resolve them. I will walk the journey with the community to seek a speedy resolution to the problem.”
Dwain Ponsonby, Patriotic Alliance councillor in Eldorado Park, said the residents are angry at the ongoing loadshedding and power outages.
“Poor people’s appliances are breaking down and food gets rotten because of extended outages within the Eldorado Park area.” said Ponsonby.
“Eldos sees loadshedding three to four times a day. This has a big effect on people who rely on electricity to attend to their health conditions, like those who depend on oxygen machines for survival.
“Business has taken a toll since Covid-19 and is currently suffering greater losses due to equipment breakdowns and stock expiring.”
Ponsonby said the residents often put the blame on councillors even though loadshedding is a national crisis.
“Our lives are threatened because residents assume that we are in control of this. The Eldos grid is unstable, and after every loadshedding schedule our residents remain without electricity for extended hours until City Power technicians come and restore power.”
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