Eskom has suspended its services in Khayelitsha's Endlovini informal settlement after a contractor was taken hostage.
The drastic safety measures highlights ongoing challenges with illegal connections and community relations.
According to Eskom spokesperson Zama Mpondwana, the contractor was busy fixing a transformer that had been overloaded with multiple illegal connections when suspects pounced on the workers and held them hostage.
The workers eventually managed to flee and went to the nearest police station from where they were safely escorted out of the area.
Despite numerous queries, details of the hostage situation and their subsequent escape has not been revealed.
Mpondwana says that the safety of their employees is the top priority for Eskom.
He says: “The suspension of services is to safeguard Eskom technicians and reassess safety measures before resuming any further operations in the area.
Mpondwana points out that the incident highlights the ongoing risks associated with illegal electricity connections, which not only affect the quality of power supply but also endanger lives of residents.
He says overloaded transformers can lead to hazards like electrical fires and power outages, making the already-challenging energy situation in the region even worse.
Mpondwana explains: “Eskom technicians are repeatedly called out to remove the illegal connections and restore electricity supply in the area.
“However, once repairs are completed and electricity supply is restored, the illegal connections are replaced as soon as technicians leave the area.”
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi says the contractor went to Harare police station for assistance but did not lay a charge.
Swartbooi reports: “The mentioned persons cited in your enquiry arrived at Harare SAPS and were escorted out of the area. The complainant never requested the registration of a criminal case for further investigation.”
The Provincial Community Policing Forum (CPF) board says this isn’t the first time Eskom staff have faced attacks in the informal settlement.
CPF board spokesperson Rafique Foflonker says Eskom's withdrawal of services is a major setback for the local community, as it will not only impact on residents’ daily lives but also crime.
Foflonker adds: “What are they going to do without power? It is a major security risk now, not to mention the social inconvenience.”
He is urging locals to report any criminal activities to police, especially those targeting service workers.
He adds: “The Community has to get involved to identify who these criminal elements are who are attacking these services.”
Mpondwana encourages residents to report any suspicious behaviour related to theft or vandalism of electrical infrastructure to police or to call the Eskom crime line at 0800 11 27 22.