Sharpeville commanders guard Eskom substation with their lives
A group of community members in Sharpeville have taken it upon themselves to ‘without fear or favour’ guard an electrical substation in Hlalakwabafileyo, a squatter camp between Tshepiso and Smarties (also known as Divencheng).
They call themselves the Boitshepiville Commanders Task Team (BCTT) and refer to their members as ‘commanders’.
Continued vandalism and cable theft at the substation, leading to electricity blackouts at odd hours and sometimes for days on end, has led residents from Boipatong, Tshepiso, and Sharpeville (also known as Boitshepiville) to form the group a year ago.
The BCTT base is a few meters outside the substation and members take turns to guard the substation day and night.
BCTT is registered as a non-profit company. They allege that they are being supported by ward councillors in the area who have approached Eskom to recognise the task team so a partnership can be established to protect infrastructure.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Baba ‘Biblos’ Lebona, chairperson of BCTT, says other than the ward councillors who support them, attempts to establish a relationship with the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) have been unsuccessful.
BCTT is currently funded and supported by a couple of ‘Good Samaritans’ one of them being local businessman Riaaz Choonara who donates food and other necessities to the group.
Community members have donated corrugated iron, tyres and wood to build a shelter and keep warm on chilly or rainy days.
The group says a few local businesses support them by donating R100 while some community members pay R20 per household monthly. BCTT says this is being done voluntarily.
“We are grateful, some of the households have elderly and sick people, while some are child-headed. The commanders make sure that they take care of all of us,” a resident who spoke to the newspaper said.
Lebona says that although they face many challenges due to a lack of resources, they will persevere.
He says it is dangerous work because they never know how organised or armed cable thieves will be.
“We are on guard only with sjamboks and tasers,” he says.
According to Lebona they have been attacked on numerous occasions, sometimes by criminals with guns who have tried to invade the substation. Until now, they have managed to ward off every attack.
“We plan to carry on with the project. As long as the cable is safe, the community is not suffering from unexpected blackouts. I would, personally, like our community to stand up and protect our infrastructure because together we can do more,” says Lebona.
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