TimesLive reports that last Thursday, Khayelitsha Site B residents came out in numbers to guard Eskom employees who were repairing a transformer after it exploded that morning.

Eskom employees have come under attack from alleged gangsters who demand protection fees while they repair critical infrastructure. Babalwa Mabuya, who has lived in Site BW Section for more than 25 years, lamented that crime had increased in the area. By the time Eskom employees arrived on Thursday, Mabuya and her five friends had gathered the community to offer protection. “When the Eskom employees told us they fear for their safety, we told them not to worry as we would protect them and we continued gathering more community members using a loud hailer. Everyone participated. Those with gas stoves boiled water and made coffee for everyone and the Somalian shopkeepers provided bread and cold drinks,” she indicated. “The community members had no weapons. They used their bodies as shields and protected Eskom employees until 11pm,” said ward 90 councillor Lukhanyo Simangweni. In July, Eskom withdrew services from a nearby suburb, Harare in Khayelitsha, with immediate effect after workers were asked by alleged gangsters to pay a protection fee of R20,000. Eskom’s Mbulelo Yedwa said the decision to pull workers out of the area was made to protect their employees while discussions were held with community leaders and business forums to find solutions to resolve the matter.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLive

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