Fed up with throwing rotten food away due to prolonged electricity outages as a result of dilapidated municipal electrical infrastructure, thousands of Komani and surrounding areas\u2019 residents gathered to close entrances to the troubled town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) has been under fire with outages lasting between nine to 16 days at times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nomzamo, Magxaki and Eskom residential areas were without power for a total of 16 days in December last year, leading to a literal black Christmas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Mlungisi area, which includes townships such as Eskom, Unifound, Nomzamo and Khayelitsha, were without electricity for seven days, with power only returning on Saturday, January 21. Half of the Top Town suburb was out for seven days until last night, January 25, while the other half is on day eight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to locals during a 6km walk to close the entrance from the East London side, Komani-Karoo Express<\/em> was told that the march was apolitical and meant to enhance service delivery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Resident Athabile Mbuku said the march for him meant that residents had had enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is a sign of a community that has had enough. We have been without electricity for very long now. We have had to throw food away and our children had a bad first day at school due to the dilapidated municipal electrical infrastructure,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n