City Power to resume electrifying Diepkloof hostel after protest

Police are on “high alert” and monitoring the situation in Diepkloof, Soweto, after protests on Monday as City Power confirmed on Tuesday it was resuming the electrification of the hostel at the centre of the protests.

Protests flared on Monday morning in the area when hostel dwellers barricaded the N12 east and N1 north at the Diepkloof interchange to demand access to water, electricity and housing.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena provided an update on the electrification of the area at the request of the department of housing.

Mangena confirmed the entity was allocated a budget of R7m for the project.

“City Power is responsible for electricity supply to the Diepkloof hostels at the request of the department of housing and we have already installed some of the infrastructure needed in phase one. This covers Madala hostel, but we basically had to stop because of some issues raised while we were busy.

“We have been engaging with the different stakeholders, including the community and leadership around the extension so we can continue with phase two which covers Giyani hostel. We are meeting the indunas and councillor to finalise the way forward and we should be rolling the trucks in by later this afternoon or early tomorrow morning [Wednesday] where the job will basically start to electrify Giyani, part of the hostel,” he said.

Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Xolani Fihla said calm had returned to the hostel by Tuesday morning.

“Hostel residents had attempted to close off Chris Hani road with rocks and burning tyres on Monday night but officers managed to clear the roadway,” he said.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the protests, according to Gauteng police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo.

Protesters threw stones at police and media covering the protests, causing damage to their vehicles. They also looted a truck transporting liquor. 

“The arrested suspects will be charged with public violence,” Masondo said.

TimesLIVE