Daily News journalists Thobani Dlamini and Nokuthula Mabuza and photographers Theo Jeptha and Tumi Pakkies on Wednesday caught up with some Durban residents to get their thoughts on load shedding
Aven Naidoo, 42, from the Bluff said: “With load shedding we cannot even finish the jobs that are required. We work with limited time and it is so often that the power goes off for two hours so we can not complete the work. This is costing us time, labour and production. We have customers cancelling jobs on us. We are now forced to work late hours. A one-hour job now takes us three to four hours to complete. We have tried using generators, but they are always being stolen.”
Lejaun Fouche, 18, from Bellair, said: “By the time I get home from work after the load shedding at work, I would find there is also no power at home. You cannot charge your phone, watch television or do anything at home that uses electricity. This is quite a bad situation for us. They should just bring back the power and end this back-to-back suffering.”
Emma Mogowe, 36, who is visiting Durban from Gauteng, said: “We lose power every two to three hours daily, it is that bad. That is a very long time for one to be without electricity. I cannot work or use my equipment and meet deadlines. I am losing on business because I work remotely. Why would they only bring electricity back after we have voted? They promised us better things yet here we are, left in the dark.”
Lidia Themba, 50, from Mayville said: “We are aware that there are people who do not buy electricity, but why are we the ones who suffer the most? Those people who are using electricity illegally should be the ones faced with such, not us. With us load shedding just happens any time. I cannot recall how many times have I fixed my television since load shedding started. I have lost more than R1 000 in the process of fixing it and my fridge.”
Lean Fourie, 41, from Point in Durban said: “I absolutely hate load shedding because there is no hot water. No South African should accept load shedding as the new normal. The streets get more dangerous after load shedding strikes because people see an opportunity to rob or hurt someone. Load shedding is definitely not good for people and our economy.”
Kuben Reddy, 41, from Chatsworth said: “The issue most affecting me and my family is the electricity components getting damaged. My wife gets up early in the morning, which means she has to light a fire outside, boil water and have a bath.”
Pinky Komanisi, 46, from Lusaka near Moorton, said: “The outages are complicating our lives as parents, we cannot guarantee our children healthy food because of the possibility of the food expiring. My fridge was damaged the second after the electricity came back, and we can actually hear it kick back in because of the connections in our area.”
Nonqaba Cholo, 29, also from Lusaka near Moorton, said: “I am not at work today (Wednesday) due to the issue of the outages. And that means I will not even have money for a candle. My absence at work means I will not be able to afford an alternative, and it is made worse by the expensive paraffin and gas we use to cook.”
Lynn Lancaster, 62, from Berea said: “It is just an unexplainable pain for taxpayers because we are true to our responsibility in contributing for the greater good of our country. But the blackouts are not only demoralising, they are also ensuring an increase in criminal activity. It is ridiculous.”
Sipho Khanyile, 26, also from Berea, said: “Yesterday (Tuesday), I had four hours of load shedding, which meant our work schedule was being pushed. The other problem is when the electricity finally comes back, it damages our appliances. My geyser and television are out for repairs because of this.”
Ameen Mohamed, also from Chatsworth, said: “As a business owner I lose two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. How do you grow your business with all the complications of load shedding? People need to start questioning the government about expenditure, they are civil servants which means they report to us, not us to them, so where is the money?
Daily News