KEY POINTS
- Khayelitsha residents protested for three days after Eskom removed illegal power lines.
- Families say the blackout has increased crime risks, disrupted schooling, and added costs.
- Community leaders want temporary electricity until formal electrification projects reach them.
After Eskom and law enforcement officials removed dozens of illegal electricity connections that had been powering hundreds of informal homes, residents of Khayelitsha, Cape Town‘s New Monwabisi Park blocked roads with burning tires late this week.
One of the busiest thoroughfares in the area, Swartklip Road, was closed to traffic due to the protests, which started on Wednesday and continued into Friday. While a long-delayed electrification program sluggishly moves through other parts of the township, shack residents accused Eskom of dumping their community into darkness without providing temporary alternatives.
About 256 families have been using electricity from a nearby substation to light their shacks and charge their phones, occasionally powering televisions but infrequently heating or cooking. This information was provided by community leader Donavan Koopman. “Eskom is working on an electrification project in Zone Two and other areas, but it will take a while for it to reach us,” he stated. “While we wait, they must provide us with temporary electricity.”
Families fear crime and hardship without power
Residents claim that since cars and shacks were broken into on the first night without light, the area’s security has gotten worse due to the power outage. Parents are concerned about their children having to walk through a nearby cemetery in the dark of the early morning on their way to school.
“Our phone batteries are dead. How do our kids call us when they have emergencies?” asked Laeeqah Davids, who shares a shack with her sister and five children.
Others voiced their displeasure with the clampdown’s financial burden. Residents now have to pay up to R10 at formal houses nearby to charge a single phone due to the lack of electricity. “We purchased the wire with our SASSA grants, and Eskom removed it. Marusca Bason, who lives with her three kids and boyfriend, stated, “At this point, we have to wait for another grant day before we can buy wire again.”
Families wanted proper electricity meters and free units to cover basic needs, according to Velaphi Khumalo, who supports his wife and six children with a disability grant. He stated that even though the majority of us are unemployed, we still desire the respect that comes with having legal connections.
Eskom faces mounting pressure in informal settlements
In informal settlements, where demand exceeds official electrification projects, South Africa’s power utility has long struggled to stop illegal connections. According to earlier statements from Eskom, unregulated wiring not only depletes the grid but also presents a risk of electrocution and fire.
However, a number of Khayelitsha locals contend that severing ties without a short-term fix exacerbates poverty and makes people more susceptible to crime. “We’re not requesting extravagance. “All we want is safety and light,” Koopman said.
