Angry Danville residents protest over lack of electricity

Residents of Danville in Mahikeng, North West, are up in arms after going four days without electricity. Enraged residents have blockaded the R503 leading into Mahikeng from Lichtenburg demanding their electricity be reconnected.

SABC News’ Sentleeng Lehihi reports: 

Emotions ran high as residents took to the streets to voice their frustrations, after days without electricity.

“….My biggest problem is, for four days, we don’t have power. And another problem is, we have an electricity box on the other street. Anybody can switch it off. Kids are playing with it, and switching it on and off,” laments one resident.

Local businesses have been hardest hit by the electricity outage.

One business person says, “These people have been ignored for the whole time. I’ve got a business at home. I’ve got ice cream, and I’ve got meat that I am selling. For five days, there was no electricity. All my ice cream and stuff are now gone.”

“As a businessman, I make cakes for a living, I lost a lot of money this past weekend. A lot of customers came complaining because their cakes were melting and everything. How am I supposed to work.”

Cable fault

Meanwhile, Eskom says the electricity supply has been restored in Danville. Eskom spokesperson in North West, Zodwa Dlamini says, “There was a cable fault that affected a feeder that supplies Danville. The area is a wetland. Any vehicle that Eskom sends to the site gets stuck in the water and mud. However, Eskom has despatched its technicians to start with the work, and power has been restored as we speak.”

Traffic flow was disrupted during the protest.