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Restoration of power to all affected areas, an increase in the amount of free basic electricity, a R150 flat rate per household for electricity and clearing of all existing debt...
These were just some of the demands made by the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) and the ANC in a memorandum to Eskom, read out by Sanco regional secretary-general Artwell Kamani outside the utility’s Diepkloof offices in Soweto on Wednesday.
Speaking in front of a group of about 100 people, Kamani, directly addressing Eskom said: “We are here today to say that we have had enough of this abusive relationship with you [Eskom].”
Sanco members arrive at the Eskom offices in Diepkloof for day 2 of the #SowetoShutdown pic.twitter.com/U3d894wyS1
— Palesa Dlamini (@PalesaDlamini_0) February 26, 2020
To an acutely attentive crowd, Kamani said both organisations would give Eskom 21 working days to respond to their demands, failing which “we will return and continue with our action until you respond".
“We demand that you accept that our people must start paying electricity from March 1 this year at a flat rate of R150 per month per household,” he said to applause.
“We demand that you start restoring electricity to all the residents of Orange Farm, Soweto and Midrand.”
“We further demand scrapping of all debt so that we can all start on a clean slate.”
He went on to make a plea for better treatment of Soweto residents.
“We demand our dignity back and say enough is enough. We can no longer tolerate this behaviour.”
Councillor Sechaba Khumalo, who was at the rally, told City Press that he and other leaders welcomed the initiative.
Read: Soweto councillor calls on residents to join Eskom march in solidarity
“This is a community initiative; the ANC and Sanco have taken up the initiative and as councillors we embrace this march.
“This is where issues of Eskom should be addressed. I have been informed that the ANC got here [to the Eskom offices in Diepkloof] before us, the residents of Nomzamo.”
“The ANC’s role in society is to lead and with this march today they have done so. Most wards in Soweto are led by the ANC. They are doing what they are meant to do.”
On the first day of the #SowetoShutdown on Tuesday, Khumalo invited angry residents to join councillors who had promised to march to the Eskom offices on Wednesday.
The protest saw residents from Nomzamo in Orlando East, Soweto, march to Khumalo’s office in an effort to address him and to challenge the R18 billion which Eskom says the residents owe for electricity.
Meanwhile, community leader Vuyiswa Khata, who, together with her fellow community leaders, watched the rally unfold from a corner, did not share Khumalo’s sentiment.
“The people speaking here today are people who complain about load shedding, about not having electricity for a few hours. [Having electricity is] a luxury for our community members. We have not had electricity for more than eight months,”she told City Press.
Community leaders were left disappointed on Wednesday morning after Khumalo did not arrive, and they had to embark on the march on their own.
The leaders, who arrived at the offices as early as 9am, told City Press that the ANC and Sanco rally did not “address the issues of the community”.
“These people don’t understand our frustration. This rally was not about the people,” Khata said.
“They are talking about 21 days, saying how they are tired... We have been tired for almost a year. We don’t have 21 working days. We passed that stage a long time ago.
“The leadership knows how many times we, as community leaders, have engaged with management at the Eskom Diepkloof offices. Now they come for one day to take us 10 steps back.”
Eskom’s Daphney Mokoena received the memorandum on behalf of the utility.
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