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Proposed R200 flat rate tariff for electricity in Soweto is pure madness

Catherine Mtshali of Mofolo North now survives on gas for cooking after her electricity supply was cut off many months ago.
Catherine Mtshali of Mofolo North now survives on gas for cooking after her electricity supply was cut off many months ago.
Image: Veli Nhlapo

The demand by Soweto residents to pay a flat rate tariff for electricity cannot be left unchallenged. Please explain to me how you arrived at this amount. A R200 flat rate ... even for the household with 10 shacks in the yard? Really?

The residents of Soweto must wake up, the ANC lied to you about free electricity, we all know there is nothing for mahala. There are shacks and backrooms mushrooming in most yards in Soweto. The shacks are a source of income for the residents, yet they do not want to pay for services.

The illegal and unlawful connections are the major causes of mini sub-stations burning down due to the overload on infrastructure. We need to call each other to order, we need to stop this closing of roads in protests demanding a service we do not even pay for in the first place.

We need to protect the infrastructure in our areas just like we did with the malls during the senseless lootings. Sub-stations are designed and certified to specific tolerances and if they are overloaded they explode, leaving your communities in darkness.

Now the sub-station has to be replaced, how is that going to be achieved if you do not pay for the services? Where must the money come from? You want to pay R200 for electricity? Allow Eskom to instal prepaid meters, then you can ration yourself to use R200 worth of electricity a month, then problem solved.

Zakes Nakedi, Ennerdale

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