Chris Gilili reports in Elitsha that over 400 Khayelitsha residents marched to Eskom community service centre demanding the reopening of its offices, led by the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) due to closures in Khayelitsha and Bellville last month.
Protest Details: Residents held placards, chanted slogans, and called for Eskom representatives to address them. Duduzile Nenemba (Sanco Khayelitsha coordinator) criticized Eskom for closing without consulting residents, highlighting the inconvenience and added travel costs to Bellville.
Councillor’s Statement: Ward 94 councillor Xolisa Peter (ANC) expressed frustration over the lack of consultation and emphasized the financial burden on residents, urging Eskom to re-open the offices.
Resident Voices on Financial Strain:
- Zola Joseph shared issues with electricity faults affecting daily life and medication storage, criticizing high electricity costs.
- Majola Nqaba from Harare detailed ongoing electricity problems since January 2024, highlighting unaffordable costs and reliance on neighbors for basic electrical needs.
- Noted the unaffordable electricity tariffs pushing residents into poverty. Mentioned Cape Town’s mayor’s concern about revenue loss versus the reported financial surplus.
- Beauty Ngcukaitobi voiced dissatisfaction with being sent to Bellville and called for reduced tariffs, highlighting the struggle of elders on social grants.
Memorandum Demands: The memorandum handed to Eskom included demands for:
- Immediate reopening of the Khayelitsha office
- Prompt attention to queries
- Installation of meter boxes
- Electrification of informal settlements
- Review and reduction of electricity tariffs
Eskom’s Reasons for Closure and Response to Protest: Eskom’s statement from June indicated pop-up offices would improve customer service by reducing travel distances and easing financial burdens for customers, providing a more convenient solution compared to traditional offices. Trish da Silva accepted the memorandum, promising a response within 7 working days, emphasising a reliance on pop-up offices during a meeting with SANCO leaders.
