Lindhaven ready to rumble over electricity
Residents are ready to take the law into their own hands over illegal connections to the nearby informal settlement.
Residents in Lindhaven are at the end of their wits regarding electricity problems in the area.
They have been struggling with illegal electricity connections and blackouts for the past 18 months, they say. A group of residents gathered at a house to speak to the record, keeping their names and address information off the record for fear of victimisation. Residents of Swartpiek Avenue, Rooibekkie Avenue and Greenshank Avenue have had increased occurrences of power failures because of illegal connections. Those connections, they say, are made between 5pm and 6pm in the eveningat night – sometimes later. A second issue to them is that temporary housing that has been set up across the road from them in Geelvinkie Street, has electricity when theirs are cut off.
“Is this favouritism?” one asks.
The substation on Geelvinkie Street should service the approximately 30 houses in these roads, but cannot because its electricity is redirected elsewhere. Without fail the illegal connections to Princess informal settlement overload the substation, causing the residents to experience blackouts. Two crèches also rely on this substation for electricity.
The record have reported on the issues tirelessly since May last year. In October in a major operation City Power repaired the substation and disconnected illegal power, but by nightfall their work was undone. Five residents that have lived in Lindhaven for more than 12 years are ready to take the law into their own hands.
“We are too afraid to go to the substation to try and switch the power back on,” they agree, saying that a man was electrocuted there the week before. One resident had to study for her upcoming exams by candlelight.
“Whoever even passes the substation while these thieves are at work is threatened.
“Some of the domestic workers and staff in the area are afraid to pass there at night to catch a ride home – they’re scared of getting robbed or stabbed.”
One resident presented all their issues to the City of Johannesburg, City Power, the Department of Housing and Joburg Connect, but to no avail. The residents have gone as far as to sign a petition directed at Mayor Parks Tau. Throughout the past few months the group also has tried to get private companies to understand and solve their problem.
“I wish Zuma would come and stay here for a week and experience this ludicrous situation,” a man says.
“We are the taxpayers, we deserve our property, safety and electricity back.”
Possible solutions
The record forwarded their complaints to Councillor Gert Niemand, whom they believe serve their ward. Despite it not being his area, Niemand confirmed that he had received numerous complaints over the past few months.
“The residents are not stupid, they realise exactly where their issue sprouts from, and they wanted it sorted out yesterday, if possible,” he says.
“City Power is well aware of the situation and hasn’t done anything of value in the last few months.
“It comes down to this: the substation should be moved to a less visible area, otherwise City Power must find a way to give these people power without making victims out of them.”
The residents also say they are willing to put up gates to close off their streets from Geelvinkie Street. Ultimately, they want the substation moved out of harm’s way.
