Tunatazama - Community Monitors

The negetive effects of load shedding in the community

Date: 30 October 2021
Name :Maria Madonsela
Province: mpumalanga
Manicipality: Emalahleni manicipality

Since 2019 load shedding has impacted the community in a negative way not to mention poor parts of the community, such as the Extensions and townships. When Eskom decides to cut the lights by load shedding our life and finances are ruined due to the high voltages which our appliances such as fridges, microwave, stoves and geysers as well anything that is getting direct feed of power through plug’s which over load due to high pressure of the electricity when it returns, as a result we loose finances which aren’t there to replace damaged resources.

We are left with questions such as who will pay our damages, unemployment is high in our community. There are incidents when Eskom forces load shedding without informing us as community which last to 10 to 24 hours. When confronted by community forums, Eskom in return blame the manicipality for the cause of load shedding. The community is fast when coming to protests as they will connect illegal electricity and if stopped, they will then go for a violent protest where burning of things and stopping cars especially the municipal ones