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THURSDAY November 16, 2017 |0 047 050 4430 | Facebook: Mthatha Express | Twitter: @MthathaExpress | elizabethg@media24.com or express@media24.com
EDITOR: BETTIE GILIOMEE
Residents declare war on high electricity cost SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
T
HE residents of Mthatha West, which comprises Mandela Park, Slovo Park, Chris Hani and Polar Park, had embarked on a massive march last week against the drastic decrease in the number of units they receive when they purchase electricity from service provider Umtiza. Umtiza is a system that the King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality is using to sell electricity. The march proceeded from Mandela Park to Mthatha Freedom Square, where the KSD offi-
ces are situated. The residents were also joined by representatives of different political parties and taxi operators from Mamela taxi rank. The marchers demanded that the KSD Municipality do not make use of Umtiza and that they would be allowed to purchase electricity directly from Eskom. They acccused Umtiza of “robbing” the residents who are mostly unemployed. They said that on their applications they requested Eskom electricity, but the municipality installed Umtiza boxes in their homes anyway. The protesters also called on the municipality to clarify the method they used to calculate the cost of electricity units because the residents
now received far less units for the same amount than they used to in the past. “This (cost of units) is ridiculous. We are unemployed people. For instance, when I am purchasing electricity for R10, I get only six units which lasts only one day. This is an insult to an unemployed person,” said Mpendulo Mkabeni. He said the government promised free electricity for the poor, but this was not what the government promised to the South Africans. “We use electricity for everything, but if we continue like this, many people will end up staying in the dark because we cannot afford the cost of the units,” he said. One of the organisers of the march, Them-
binkosi Butshingi, threatened that if the municipality failed to meet their demands they would cause havoc in the town. “We gave the municipality 14 days to respond, and upon failing we will stage a huge strike which will make Mthatha ungovernable,” said Butshingi. The marchers intended to hand the petition to KSD Mayor Dumani Zozo, but he was not present. The KSD public safety portfolio head Tsepo Machaea received the petition on behalf of the mayor. He said he will hand it to the mayor so that the matter could be discussed at a council meeting.
Residents of Mthatha West, representatives of different political parties and taxi operators joined in a march against the increase in unit costs of prepaid electricity.
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