UNKNOWN PEOPLE CUT ELECTRICITY POLES AT HOSEA, HLUTHI

MBABANE – Residents at Hluthi and Hosea have been left without electricity after about 20 poles supporting the power lines were reportedly cut by unknown people.

On Tuesday night, concerned customers reported the power outage in the area and teams from the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) went to investigate as per procedure. According to EEC Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager, Khaya Mavuso, on arrival at the area, the teams found the company’s electricity poles cut in a deliberate effort to cause widespread power outages in the area. It was worth noting that the cut poles had blocked some roads in the area.

Customers

Mavuso mentioned that the cutting of the poles affected over 1 500 customers between Hluthi and Hosea. Most affected areas include Hlahlatibovu, KaBrother, Mbondweni, Hhohho Emuva, Mpakeni, Ondiyaneni, S’thwethweni, Ngozi Clinic and KaHiba. “Service to the affected areas has been slowed down as access to the areas has been blocked with trees and stones,” said Mavuso. He added that EEC was currently investigating the extent of the damage and anticipated power restoration as soon as practically possible, depending on the nature of the damages. Mavuso said efforts had been made to engage community elders to assist EEC in assessing the affected areas due to challenges in accessing the areas as a result of the blocked roads.

He noted that some of the institutions affected included clinics and local shops providing services to the communities. “EEC does not condone such vandalism or theft of national infrastructure designed to deliver service much needed by the community, irrespective of the circumstances,” the communications manager said.
Mavuso said this action was a threat to the sustainability and reliability of the country’s power supply network and community security. He stated that the theft and/or vandalism of electricity infrastructure had large effects that were causing prolonged customer power outages. He said EEC suffered millions in repairs of infrastructure due to vandalism or theft, among others.

“This results in a large chunk of our maintenance budget, and eventually leads to a higher tariff increase, which is a setback to national development and deprives funding for new projects designed to improve delivery of service to our customers,” he explained. Mavuso further appealed to members of the public to alert EEC and assist in bringing to book these culprits who had caused setbacks in the business in the affected areas as well as customer convenience. “We further appeal to the perpetrators of the horrible act to desist from doing it as it benefits no one, but (causes) suffering to the innocent,” said Mavuso.

This incident was received with different opinions as to who might have cut the poles. In some voice notes that were shared in some WhatsApp groups of the Hosea folk, some suspected that sub-contractors might have done this act in order to be given the tender to re-install the poles. The speaker in one of the voice notes said there were many sub-contractors who were doing nothing while it was the festive season and they needed to be busy with something hence they might have cut the poles. Another speaker agreed to that narrative, mentioning that over the past weeks, there had been heavy rains hence the sub-constructors were not working and needed some jobs as well.

Contractors

However, another resident, who mentioned in one of the voice notes that he was working for one of the sub-contractors, called for calm. He said the sub- contractors did not know who cut the poles. Earlier on yesterday, some of the EEC staff members called a meeting with the Hosea folk through Indvuna Yenkhundla Richard Vilane. Information reaching this publication was that the meeting was held at Hluthi in the afternoon yesterday. Vilane then reported back to the Hosea people through a voice note he shared in one of the WhatsApp groups. He told the residents that the EEC team had promised to restore the power as soon as possible.

Vilane said the EEC team asked every bucopho of the imiphakatsi making up the Hosea Inkhundla to play their part in calling their subjects to sensitise them about the benefits and the dangers of electricity. The matter was reported to the police. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed knowledge of the matter. “We are still investigating the matter and no arrests have been made so far,” she said.

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