Diepsloot Business owners say disconnection of power will destroy businesses

Business owners in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg lamented that the disconnection of power in the township was going to affect their income.

Eskom disconnected illegal connections in in Extention 13 on Tuesday and this made community members so devastated.

The country is just reeling from the effects of pandemic and battling skyrocketing unemployment, the business owners said the disconnection will affect their economy.

However, some residents vowed to reconnect the power.

They were of the opinion that if they are without lights, crime rate will increase in the area.

They said they want the government to formalise power in the area so they will be able to pay for it.

The main drivers of the local economy in Diepsloot including spaza shops, hair salons and street vendors said without power, they businesses will run down.

A owner of a local spaza shop, Owen Mudau, said that without power he would be unable to sell perishables which means customer would reduce.

“When there’s no power, no one wants to come to the shop in the evening. I’m also afraid to open because of the criminals around here.”

Kholofelo Motia is one of the 2.2 million South Africans who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He opened his hair salon during level 4 of the lockdown.

“With Eskom taking its transformers, life is about to get tougher. This business is my life. Without power, I don’t know how I’m going to serve my customers.”

He said that he had solar power as a backup he would not be able to afford its maintenance if more customers come in to make their hair late.