WATCH | Residents in Alexandra stop City Power's disconnection teams

Angry residents of River Park, Alexandra, were quick to react and immediately stopped an operation by City Power to cut illegal electricity connections in the area on Thursday.

Commotion erupted as the community came together and stopped the officials from disconnection, demanding they turn the electricity back on and leave.

Dillo Moche, 49, is frustrated that City Power randomly cuts off power after having agreed on a date with the community. Moche wanted the operation to start elsewhere, where people steal and do not pay for electricity, including informal settlements which have developed around River Park.

“Out of this entire ward, they chose to cut off the power in River Park only. Alexandra doesn't pay for electricity and there are informal settlements which surround River Park that do not pay at all but rather steal electricity, using cables.”

Moche said the community did not mind paying but the problem of disconnection continued.

“We are willing to pay but they will still disconnect the electricity. We had agreed that City Power will come on 9 June and check for those who have bridged electricity so that they can fix the problem and be able to pay the R500 rate, but here they are now to disconnect without notifying us.”

Tlaleng Mmoa, 48, who has been living in River Park ever since it was established, admits that there are some illegal connections and that other houses have bypassed meters. She expressed her frustration that electricity is also cut off for people who pay.

“My next door neighbour has bypassed electricity, leaving me with no electricity. Once City Power notices, they cut the power off for everyone and that's not fair. We are going to fight because City Power has taken us for granted,” she said.

Mmoa said people living in hijacked flats, which were built just opposite River Park, were stealing electricity from the city and nothing was done about it.

“Instead they quickly come here and disconnect electricity to those who are willing to pay. There is an illegal dwelling just up the road, flats that the government started to build but did not complete. Now people live there and steal electricity from government infrastructure.

“The traffic lights are not working and nothing is done about it, we don't dispute the payment for electricity but they must not come here because of a few houses who have [bypassed the meters].”   

City Power said in a statement the cut-off operation in River Park was due to the illegal connections that continued to pose significant risk to infrastructure. It said River Park was one of the high-risk areas where most have bypassed meters and customers have refuse to pay for electricity. 

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