EFF Angry Over 'Electricity Disconnections Across Joburg' on Orders of New DA Mayor

• The EFF are condemning what they are calling sabotage on the residents of Johannesburg by the new mayor
• Mpho Phalatse ordered electricity disconnections in various townships due to illegal connections
• Diepkloof residents have since protested against the power cuts, barricading the Soweto Highway with large rocks

SOWETO - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are crying foul over the new Johannesburg Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse's move to effect what the party is calling unfair electricity disconnections across the city.

The red army expressed its strong condemnation as the newly elected mayor took to her first 10 days in office. The EFF, according to a SABC News report, accused Phalatse of demonstrating her willingness to oppress poor residents in Johannesburg "for the satisfaction of her white masters".

“Through her recent actions, Phalatse has dismally failed and declared war on the poor and marginalised in the city. She is discriminating when she [instead] needs to provide the most basic service delivery needs to the poor,” said the EFF in a statement.

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The report further claimed that the City of Johannesburg revenue customer services department has in its possession a list of consumers and the amounts by which they continue to default on utility payments.

“The recent public comments in which Phalatse says the Zone 3 residents of Diepkloof are criminals conducting illegal connections is a fallacy because residents who connect electricity illegally do so because Eskom and the City are not providing them with electricity,” the statement continued.

Protecting the interests of the rich

On Monday, residents of the area barricaded the Soweto Highway with large rocks and burning tyres near the N1 in protest over power cuts. TimesLIVE reported that dozens of demonstrators gathered near the highway and blocked traffic with more tyres and heavy tree branches.

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Acknowledging the recent furore by residents, the EFF said it noted Phalatse's recent move of instigating blackouts across various locations in the township including, Orlando, Klipspruit, and Dlamini, as the cause.

“It is clear that since she remains ill-advised by Eskom, who are protecting the interests of the rich, she will continue to turn a blind eye and ignore the truth about how incompetent the entity is,” the EFF added.

Soweto leader trends as Diepkloof bemons electricity situation

Elsewhere, Briefly News recently reported that the situation in Diepkloof Zone 3 in Soweto remains volatile as residents demand electricity to be restored following several weeks without power.

As a result, the community went on a rampage, barricading roads with burning tyres and large rocks as they called on the national power supplier to act on their demands or face their wrath.

Since then, a community leader Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini, who is credited with protecting the Maponya Mall amid the tense unrest and widespread looting in many parts of the township and Johannesburg in July, has been trending on social media for the better part of Friday afternoon.

Source: Briefly News