Powerless students set City Power alight

At approximately 7.30pm on 15 October, against the advice of the JMPD the Record entered a burning Tshepisong.

A moving mass of 200 odd youths with ages ranging between 16 and 21 were destroying everything in their path to make a statement against a system that clearly is failing them.

According to community leader David Masima the youths were protesting because midway into their prelim exams they have been without electricity for eight days. Although repeatedly reporting the problem, City Power has not heeded their calls.

As the Record moved into the settlement their voices rang as one as they sang “give us our democratic rights”.

Suddenly it turned to a cry of “Chisa, Chisa!” (Torch it, Torch it!) as they approached the City Power pre-paid electricity building. Within minutes the building went up in flames and protesters started looting.
In the absence of official law-enforcement agencies a private security company, according to intelligence, started firing live ammunition and the Record had to take cover.

It could not be confirmed whether they were firing warning shots or directly at the crowd.
As the Record finally retreated with the crowd, bullets started whistling and ricocheting off the ground. According to unofficial sources these shots came from a member of the public who was trying to protect a second building, a mortuary, that was being torched.

A part of the crowd meanwhile took an alternative route to the local councillors home but shots from a Nyala deterred further action.

As the SAPS Tactical Response Team (TRT) moved into the settlement, the Record finally retreated.