Tunatazama - Community Monitors

Illegal connections

Community Alerts, by Andrew Matshiane, Mpumalanga, Emalahleni, Vosman, 2019 May

Illegal electricity connections is very high at Vosman area in Emalahleni and nothing is done about it. The problem is that the section with illegal connection has no electricity and is on the wetland as it’s always damp and during rain times is always wet. The wires which are used to connect the electricity from the houses with power are small radio red/ black wires which are always fixed or replaced as they burn easily and they passby the sewer flowing streets and some are visible. In most cases you will find women being the ones connecting and fixing the wires on the street, wearing gloves some plastic on their hands just to keep safe. One can imagine what this can do to a human being if they get in contact with the wires, It is not safe and the sad part is that we are next to mines that dig coal which generates electricity and giving us diseases but some of our people are having no electricity in their homes. The municipal keep making promises but none are kept as they will say the area where the people are it’s not good and they will be moved because they are on top of a wetland.
By Andrew Matshiane
Vosman Sinqobile environmental group