Tag: power cuts

Sowetans riot after power cuts

Residents of Orlando West, Soweto, who included pensioners, burnt tyres and protested against Eskom power cuts on Wednesday.

Johannesburg metro police spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the Klipspruit Valley and Khumalo Roads were affected.

”The protesters started at around 7am and are obstructing these roads, we advise motorists to use alternative roads such as Chris Hani Baragwanath and Elias Motsoaledi Roads,” Minnaar said.

The protesters placed rocks and burning tyres on the roads, preventing traffic flow in the area.

On Monday, hundreds of residents in the neighbouring Diepkloof protested over housing, obstructing the area between Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and the N12.

Eskom warns of power cuts during winter

South Africans should brace themselves for what could be the most difficult winter as electricity supply remained constrained, the Public Enterprise Minister Malusi Gigaba said.

“We need to worry about how we are going to go through this winter,” Gigaba said.

He was speaking to residents in Kliptown, Soweto where he was encouraging community members to pay for their electricity and to report illegal connections.

This was part of the 49M energy saving campaign.

Gigaba urged the public to continue with basic electricity saving habits like switching off geysers between 5pm and 9pm.

“We need to change our behaviour… instead of using heaters people should rather use blankets.”

He told residents that with Eskom reaching 40 million new connections last year, it meant by 2017, South Africa would have to have more power stations to meet the growing demand.

“We are still confident that we will, in partnership with all South Africans and with more business joining the partnership, succeed to keep the lights on until we get out of this difficult situation,” said Gigaba.

He finally asked residents to observe Earth Hour on Saturday evening by switching off lights and appliances between 8.30pm and 9.30pm. – Sapa