Protesters blocked main roads in the Free State on Tuesday, demanding electricity be restored. Photo: Tladi Moloi
Power restored after Phuthaditjhaba residents take to the streets
Tladi Moloi reports that Protesters from Phuthaditjhaba in the Free State blocked roads with rocks, burning tyres, and trees on Tuesday, demanding the Maluti-a-Phofung local municipality restore electricity. Areas affected included Phuthaditjhaba, Clubview, Mphatlalatsane, part of Mandela Park, and Industrial Area, which had been without power since Friday. Electricity was restored soon after the protest, and five people were arrested.
The protesters blame municipal electricity workers for not restoring power after cuts. Workers are protesting a municipal decision to stop overtime work and pay, leaving households without power on weekends and after 3:30 pm during the week.
The municipality had informed workers that no overtime was budgeted for the 2024-5 financial year, effective from July 1. Some workers allegedly caused deliberate outages, as stated by one worker.
Matokelo Maya, chairperson of the Clubview residents committee, expressed frustration, saying, “You know, it is painful to buy electricity and at the time you need to use it, it is not there. We have given up on our municipality. It is clear the only way they do the right thing is when people go on the street, and we can’t always be doing that.”
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring confirmed the arrests for public violence. Municipal communications manager Thabo Kessah blamed the power cuts on a substation issue due to a vandalized transformer. He also mentioned that the overtime issue had been temporarily resolved with the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU). SAMWU shop steward Tankiso Motaung confirmed an agreement to pay overdue wages and create a workable plan for future overtime.
