Durban — ESKOM is South Africa's state electricity provider, which is supremely unpopular with consumers, not only for the frequent "load-shedding", but because of sudden increases in rates of 25%, not only this year, but next year as well.
Power outages have become increasingly common throughout South Africa. Since mid-week, for example, the eThekwini municipality of the city of Durban has had big power outages in the city centre and various suburbs, as well as throughout the huge township, South Africa's second largest, of KwaMashu. Simone Govender writes from the township of Phoenix, near KwaMashu, and she's in a foul mood, due to lack of power.
It's a cold winter night and I am sipping a nice hot cup of coffee and just about to switch on the news. I am suddenly blinded! My brother hollers "Bloody ESKOM!" Phew...I realise I haven't lost my eyesight! The electricity has gone off (for the umpteenth time this week!). This dear friends, is not load shedding...it's 'a technical fault ' which happens at least twice a week in my area!
My brother dashes for the phone book to dial the Ethekweni Electrical Department (by now we should have the number on speed dial). Fifteen minutes on the telephone and still no answer, "they don't even have the courtesy to play music" says my brother irritably and hangs up the phone. I don't even know why he would bother phoning the municipality to make an enquiry when he knows he will end up getting the same answer from an individual who is clueless about what really happened to the electricity.
Waiting another fifteen minutes, playing some music on our mobiles and ...ah! The electricity is restored ... "Don't get your hopes up just yet...it's bound to go off again!" says mother dearest. This has been the second time in almost a week that the dreaded power has gone off in our area. From the information that I gathered via Facebook and Twitter it had been the same for the surrounding areas as well.
I live in Phoenix, and for those of you who don't know where that is...well its located north of Durban. It's not a very posh area and is home to the very poor to middle class. This 'little' town has a diverse population of over 49000 (Tageo.com) with a majority of Indians, middles class Africans, some Coloureds, a sprinkling of the 'converted' white (married to Indians and following the Hindu culture) and a buzzing community of foreigners (predominantly Pakistani and Nigerian).
Our little suburb has been constantly been under attack from Eskom. Eskom is the Electrical Company that Powers the whole of South Africa. South Africans are charged an exorbitant rates the provision of electricity. The 'Load Shedding' which I speak of is the brainchild of Eskom, the shutting down of electricity for a few hours a week (for those of us in the 'underprivileged' areas we were gracefully awarded extra load shedding times, sometimes no electricity for the whole day, exciting isn't it?) in order to preserve electricity for the successful 2010 Soccer World Cup. Post Soccer World -Cup, we are still experiencing 'Load Shedding', which is enforced comes without prior warning most of the time and it is clear that it is the 'underprivileged' communities that are targeted.
Eskom preys on us while we are having supper with our families...and at night when we are most vulnerable. This is particularly dangerous for us civilians living in Phoenix as we are prone to crime... so the more the lights go off the easier it is for criminals that strive in darkness to taunt us.
Many conspiracy theories have evolved out of these load sheddings ... One of which my mum is quite fond of is that the Eskom is taking power that was meant for the poorer communities and supplying it to the so called 'Elite areas'. This 'stolen' electricity is used to compensate for the extensive use of heaters , heated pools, air-conditioners, automated gates and electric fences used by the Whites' and those who live in these elitist areas.
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The constant load shedding as made us 'Phoenixians' (residents of Phoenix)... always prepared for the inevitable. We place candles in strategic places which can be easily located in the dark. Candles are the main source of light during load-shedding since they are cheap. There are sad stories reported in the local newspapers of homes being burnt to the ground due to unattended candles or of families that have died due to smoke inhalation (burning wood inside their homes to keep warm during the cold winter months). My mum suggested that the community have a 'sit in' at the Ethekweni office but most people cannot afford to miss a day's work since they are dependent on their salary to survive. All we can say is, "Bloody Eskom" a hundred times and hope that things change for the better. Bloody Eskom!
