Eskom Cuts Off Power to Sibangweni Village After Residents Issue Deadly Threats at Employees

• The South African power utility has withdrawn its services from the village of Sibangweni after acts of aggression by residents
• Community members allegedly held a technician at gunpoint while he was in the area rectifying meters that had been tampered with
• Eskom estimates that it has lost R285 million in revenue in the Eastern Cape because of electricity theft

EASTERN CAPE - Eskom has decided to withdraw its services to the Sibangweni village in the greater Nyandeni Local Municipality after community members threatened the lives of Eskom employees.

Villagers of the Eastern Cape village allegedly held one of the power utility’s technicians at gunpoint on Saturday. The acts of intimidation left Eskom unable to operate and conduct audits in the village.

In a press release, the power utility claimed the decision was taken to protect its employees and Eskom's failing infrastructure and mitigate the loss of revenue resulting from energy loss in the area.

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The full press release reads as follows:

Spokesperson for Eskom Themba Mtshaulana commented:

“We recently had a situation where an Eskom employee was followed and threatened at gunpoint by community members who demanded that the employee reconnects supply that he disconnected due to tampering on the meter. The matter was reported to the South African Police Service, and we are grateful that the employee escaped unharmed.”

News24 reported that Eskom uncovered a revenue loss of R285 million between April and June due to electricity theft in the Eastern Cape. The real loss is far higher because the amount does not include the cost of repairing vandalised and damaged materials.

Mtshaulana said that the acts of intimidation toward the utility’s employees and the continued loss of energy in Sibangweni is a business risk for the parastatal.

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South Africans are on both sides of the fence, with some people applauding the parastatal for taking decisive action while some question the constitutionality of the move.

Here are some comments:

@osculim added:

"Though I don't condone this this type of behaviour, you need to realise it is all your fault eskom. Your lack of service delivery everywhere in the country is making people angry. What did you expect will happen."

@Oreutlwile asked:

"@SAHRCommission is this right? Does @Eskom_SA have the right to violate human rights as they please?"

@highwaymanza commented:

"Nothing is for free, except the air you breathe. Disconnect those who think electricity costs nothing."

Eskom withdraws services in Tembisa amid violent protests, residents complain about high electricity rates

In similar news, Briefly News reported that the violent protests in Tembisa in the East Rand, Johannesburg, have forced Eskom to withdraw services.

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Since Monday, 1 August, community members have been striking over the lack of service delivery and issues with their electricity and municipal rates.

Taking to social media on Tuesday, Eskom stated that services in Tembisa will only resume when it is safe for their employees to work there, a decision that has left many angered.

Source: Briefly News