Snl24 | Bangladesh residents feel like foreigners in Mzansi!

Bangladesh residents Whelmina Ramphekoa (37), Dipolelo Peega (44) and King Mukansi (41), who said they are gatvol. Photo by Raymond Morare

THEY haven’t had electricity for almost three years.

The residents from Bangladesh in Hebron, North West, said they have been living in darkness for days and months on end.

They told Daily Sun they don’t know what sin they have committed for Eskom to let them suffer like this.

Resident, Whelmina Ramphekoa (37) said their transformer burnt down, and they reported the matter to the power utilty.

Bangladesh residents Whelmina Ramphekoa (37), Dipolelo Peega (44) and King Mukansi (41), who’ve been in darkness for almost three years. Photo by Raymond Morare

She said Eskom did an audit and told residents that 50% of them were not paying for electricity.

“We don’t know. Eskom talks about illegal connections. We’re prepared to pay for electricity as long the transformer is fixed,” Whelmina said. 

She said 64 houses are left in the dark.

“We even plan to buy a transformer, but we’re a poor community that doesn’t have money.”

Another resident, Dipolelo Peega (44) said enough is enough.

“Darkness invites crime. Eskom must come and disconnect illegal connections and leave those who afford to pay,” she said.

Dipolelo said it’s painful to live next to a transformer and be in the dark. Community leader, King Mukansi (41) said when the transformer is fixed, there will be peace in their kasi.

ALSO READ: Mandela saved me from death!

“We’re begging Eskom to fix the transformer. People can’t even use their fridges,” he said.

Eskom spokeswoman, Amanda Qithi said over the past months, power supplier has recorded a high number of failed mini-substations and transformers.

She said this was due to network overloading as a result of electricity tokens purchased from ghost vendors and non-payment of electricity, illegal connections, meter bypasses and tampering, unauthorised operations on the electricity network, as well as the vandalism and theft of electrical equipment.

She said as part of the process to replace the failed electricity equipment, Eskom conducts network audits and customers who are found to have bypassed or tampered with thei meters and conducted illegal electricity activities are issued with a remedial charge.

“It is required that 60% of customers who have been issued with remedial charges on the same supply point make upfront payment before the process to replace failed electricity infrastructure can be initiated. 

“The transformer in question faulted in 2021. As per the replacement process, a desktop audit was conducted, and it was determined that 36 customers (78%) out of the total of 46 were buying electricity from illegal vendors/non-buyers. 

“This was followed by a field audit in 2022, and remedial charges were issued to those customers who were found to have conducted the illegal electricity related activities mentioned above. The 60% threshold has not been reached to this date in order to initiate the transformer replacement,” she said.