‘We have no krag for this’: Residents hit by power cuts and vandals
Vandalised: Electricity outlet.
Residents of Drakenstein Circle in Bishop Lavis, who say they have been without electricity for the past two weeks, are gatvol with load shedding as it allows skelms to vandalise and steal infrastructure.
Shana Wakefield said that living in darkness has become part of their lives after electricity terminals were severely damaged in the area under the cover of darkness.
“Children dress in the dark [for school], we need to buy food each day cause we can’t keep things [in the fridge] as it will go off, and we’ve had to ask people for assistance,” she explained.
She claimed that their electricity has been off for the past 13 days due to vandalism of electrical kiosks in the area.
“They came to restore the box [on Sunday] and now we are off again since 2am this morning (Monday).”
Shana, a second-year Bcom: Human Resource Management student, said that this has impacted her studies.
“I’m busy studying for my finals in the dark and struggling as now all my devices are flat and I cannot afford to miss my final exam.
“[Monday] was my first subject and I had to ask someone to assist just to get my plugs on their generator cause my laptop died.
“They [skelms] know the load shedding time schedules; in the early hours they come and vandalise these boxes and the longer periods of blackouts do play a role in their activities,” she added.
Resident Tyrone Abdol said it’s like living in the stone age.
“I don’t think it’s normal to be in the dark for almost 12 days.
“I have a child who is five months old, and I work at the airport and I need to get my clothes ready,” he explained.
“We can’t make food, and have no hot water to wash so we have to make other arrangements.” Eskom had not responded to queries before going to print.
Meanwhile, the Bishop Lavis Community Policing Forum has condemned the vandalism.
Chairperson Graham Lindorst said that it seems there is a new trend in the area where power boxes are being broken into.
“As the CPF we condemn it because it leaves a street or two without electricity for days and this is when the ouens do the worst things,” Lindorst added.