N1 Blocked by Soweto, Diepkloof Residents Upset Over Ongoing Power Cuts in Their Area

• Residents of Diepkloof Zone 3 blocked off part of the N1 to protest Eskom cutting off their electricity supply
• Eskom shut off their power supply due to the high number of illegal electricity connections in the area
• 700 Diepkloof Zone 3 households are in the dark as they need to pay a R6 052 fine to be reconnected to the power supply

SOWETO - Earlier today, Diepkloof Zone 3 residents protested their ongoing electricity issues by blocking off part of the N1. The road has since been reopened to traffic, but the residents' frustrations remain.

The area has been experiencing power cuts, sub-station failures and cable theft for many years. Recently Eskom cut their power supply due to the high number of illegal electricity connections in the area.

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Eskom's decision was the main reason for today's protest as many residents believe that having an electricity supply is part of the service delivery they should be receiving, SABC News reports.

Reasons for the electricity cuts and the ANC's solutions

During their pre-election campaigning, the ANC promised Soweto residents that their electricity supply problems would be fixed. However, the people of Diepkloof are yet to see that promise fulfilled.

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has said that they are working to remove debris from the scene of the protests, which could cause delays in traffic on the N1 between the Diepkloof interchange and Soweto highway.

According to The Citizen, at present, the only way that residents can restore their power supply is if each household pays Eskom a R 052 fine to be reconnected to the power grid. Nearly 700 households in Diepkloof Zone 3 are without power.

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Reactions to electricity supply protests

@HammondVisagie said:

"When will @SAgovnews have the guts to tell these residents that they must pay for electricity used like the rest of the country. They were spoiled for way too long."

@mpho_toni believes:

"They need to teach Protest 101 in schools. Sabotaging oneself to make a point about service delivery does not work."

@ShakerShabalala asked:

"After doing all this, were they reconnected? All that effort for nothing."

@kanniekaknie shared:

"And they all vote ANC time and time again."

@Sanebutnot said:

"Mess should be left. Let the destroyers clean it up."

Eskom disconnects power supply to illegal connections

Previously, Briefly News reported that Eskom has disconnected its power supply to the Diepkloof Zone 3 area in Soweto. The reason for this is that the power utility is punishing residents for making use of illegal electricity connections.

Amanda Qithi, a spokesperson for Eskom in Gauteng, said that the power utility has sustained a large number of energy losses from illegal connections, illegal electricity sales, and people bypassing electricity meters.

If households in the township want to have their electricity supply restored, they have to pay Eskom R6 052 before they will do so, the power utility said.

Source: Briefly News