Lavender Hill residents protest over high electrcity prices, inter alia

Lavender Hill residents are adamant that the City of Cape Town must remove the newly installed meter boxes from their homes.

Scores of people protested in the area on Monday. The municipality initiated a process of replacing electricity meters in Lavender Hill, after the City discovered that it has either been tampered with or bypassed.

SCREENSHOT

The organisers - residents of Lavender Hill and the People's Movement for Change (PMC) says it was a peaceful protest, until police threw stun grenades into innocent bystanders.

‘’The protest turned violent when law enforcement and local residents clashed. The streets of Lavender Hill became a battlefield with gunshots, the smell of teargas and dark smoke clouds caused by burning tyres and visible fires burning at different sections and street corners, demonstrated that the people are fed up and determined to fight back against the current system of oppression,’’ said Sammy Claassen, People's Movement for Change (PMC) Cape Town councillor.

‘’The People's Movement for Change (PMC) agree with the people of Lavender Hill and the broader Cape Flats that we are paying too much for electricity. Electricity tariffs has become unaffordable and expensive as more and more people and households are sitting without electricity, water and sanitation due to the high cost of living. These costs should be reduced and the intention to increase tariffs will be disastrous,’’ he added.

The City of Cape Town previously said:

‘’All electricity meters belong to the City of Cape Town and thus the law requires that all households with City meters must give the City and its contractors reasonable access to check on suspected faulty meters or check irregular power usage. Residents may not interfere with the City’s employees and contractors performing their official duties. It is illegal,’’ said Xanthea Limberg, MMC for Energy.

‘’Thorough tampering investigations take place on an ongoing basis. When evidence of tampering is found, the City conducts a full investigation, which includes examining the resident’s electricity usage and purchase history, in detail, over a number of years. If tampering is found, the resident also has a right to appeal,’’ she added.

Meanwhile, Western Cape police confirmed that one of its members was attacked by protesters

‘’Protestors blockaded the roadway with burning tyres and threw vehicles with stones. Police action was taken to disperse the crowd. Public Order Police (POP) and other Law Enforcement agencies will remain on the ground to monitor the situation and will remain in the area until we are satisfied that calm has been restored,’’ said Sergeant Wesley Twigg,  Western Cape police spokesperson.

‘’We appeal to all participants who partake in any protests to do so within the ambit of the law. SAPS will not hesitate to taken action and bring perpetrators of the law to book,’’ he added.

 

Done by: Mitchum George