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Johannesburg - About 400 Soweto residents will march to Eskom's offices in Midway on Thursday, to protest against power cuts and proposed price increases, the Coalition Against the Electricity Crisis in SA said.
"Poor people cannot afford to eat out when power cuts occur; this leaves them hungry and left without supper...food that is bought in bulk due to increasing food prices, is also going bad in the freezers," said spokesperson Trevor Ngwane.
The residents - including a number of students - gathered at
Thokoza Park in Rockville in preparation for the march, chanting and singing.
"The students who are here say they feel de-motivated and are unable to continue with their studies when power cuts occur...
"Why must these poor people use paraffin heaters and stoves? Why should their lungs be intoxicated by the fumes that the heaters omit?"
He said while a memorandum would be handed to Eskom, the "real blame" should go to the ANC government, for not investing in the infrastructure of the country when it had the chance.
"Foreign investors that the government were waiting for long ago never came, and now, the people have to suffer," Ngwane said.
He said that the march was to mobilise communities and instil a
sense of power in them.
After the march, residents were expected to head to Chiawelo Township in Soweto, to reconnect the pre-paid electricity system that was turned off recently.
"We will crack this system, nothing will stand in the way of the people."
The coalition consists of the Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee,The General Congress of SA, United Community Forum, Sofasanke Party, and Soweto Concerned Residents.
- Sapa