CAPE TOWN - As the winter approaches, scores of residents in Samora Machel are staging night vigils around a bonfire to safeguard their electricity and homes.
Nearly 100 families have had their lives disrupted by a group of “dangerous people” living in the neighbouring informal settlement.
Many homes have broken windows, cracked asbestos roofs, broken roof tiles and leaking ceilings as a result of allegedly being stoned by people in an attempt to gain support for illegal electricity connections.
According to the residents in Miranda Ngculu Street, police attempted to intervene but retreated when they were stoned by angry residents of Eyadini informal settlement.
The informal settlement, situated on railway lines in Philippi, shot up as backyard dwellers from Samora Machel, Kosovo, Marikana, Philippi East and other areas flocked to the area early last year.
A male resident of Samora Machel, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The live wires are a danger to our children and families. We need these people to either be moved or have electricity installed in order for them not to make these illegal connections.”
Mayco member for human settlements Malusi Booi said the City was unable to move the unlawful occupiers. “The City offered to assist the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) to remove the illegal structures and to protect the land so that people do not settle where services cannot be provided. The City’s offer of assistance was not accepted,” said Booi.
Nontobeko Jaxa told Weekend Argus this week that a group of women had to now has to stay awake at night to guard their homes and ensure electricity was not illegally connected.
“We don’t sleep; we have to do what we can to safeguard our families and homes,” she said.
Nomsa Gondongwana said her life had been threatened by residents of Eyadini.
Eyadini community leader Monica Ngcuwa confirmed that there was tension but said she was not aware of any threats made to their neighbours.
“We were called by the street committee in Miranda Ngculu Street, and it was agreed that we would not use more than two poles per street in Samora Machel to connect our electricity. We attempted to speak to the City, but they told us that the land does not belong to them and services could not be brought on to this land.”
Prasa spokesperson Riana Scott said 6500 illegally erected structures were in an “extremely dangerous railway reserve”.
Mayco member for energy and climate change Phindile Maxiti confirmed that “the community from the informal settlement had been illegally tapping into the electrical network”.
Although the site is not serviced by Eskom, spokesperson Kyle Cookson said illegal connections not only resulted in Eskom bearing financial cost but also placed lives at risk.
“Over the past three years, Eskom in the Western Cape has incurred costs to the value of R188 million related to theft and vandalism,” Cookson said.
“Illegal connections endanger the lives of many South Africans, especially children who often run barefoot and who are unaware of the danger.”