Communities in conflict over service delivery

Kennedy Nape
Photsaneng

Photsaneng in Rustenburg surrounded by 2x Sibanye shafts, a plant and Glencore and Anglo American smelters. Previously Nkaneng informal settlement near them, were sawing off their Eskom power supply poles. Their reason was that, Photsaneng residents should support them to be formalized so that they could get service delivery. They did it again on the 11th May 2020 at 01h05am electricity went off on three villages including Photsaneng. In the morning when going to work we saw Eskom power supply poles and cables sawn and fallen on the ground. At 8am Photsaneng community were gathered in mob at the crime scene ignoring lockdown regulations due to anger. Public order police arrived at the scene whilst Photsaneng residents were still planning to react on the damage caused by Nkaneng people. They were told to disperse immediately but were angrily shouting back to the police that they can swiftly respond to them but they can’t arrest the perpetrators