KHAYELITSHA, Western Cape — Frustrated by nearly a month of relentless Eskom power outages, Khayelitsha residents marched to Parliament to demand urgent government intervention, only to be turned away because lawmakers are currently in recess.
The community’s 35-kilometer journey from Khayelitsha to the legislative seat ended in disappointment. Residents had planned to hand over a memorandum directly to the Minister of Electricity and Energy regarding the persistent electricity crisis. However, upon arrival, they were informed that no officials were available to receive their demands due to the parliamentary recess.
According to community leaders, this was the second time residents have marched to Parliament to protest the repeated power failures specifically affecting Ward 99. Following unsuccessful engagements with the national power utility, the community is now escalating their demands.
Community leaders emphasized that their grievances are not with the City of Cape Town, but rather with national authorities who they feel misunderstand the severity of their challenges. They are now calling for direct intervention from the Presidency and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.
“We’re going to continue to fight. We’re going to continue to knock on these doors until the minister and also the president hears our grievances and actually address them,” a community leader stated during the protest.
The prolonged blackouts have evolved into a severe humanitarian issue, extending far beyond a standard service delivery failure. Community leaders noted that the most vulnerable populations—including the elderly, individuals living with disabilities, and those dependent on electricity for medical needs—are being hit the hardest.
Highlighting the physical toll of the crisis, one resident joined the march to Parliament on crutches, alleging they have been living without electricity for months. The daily reality for many involves reverting to primitive survival methods. “We don’t have [power], we must go and look for the wood, make a fire outside,” one resident explained, describing the lack of basic necessities.
Despite the community repeatedly logging electrical faults with Eskom, the issues remain entirely unresolved.
Looking toward the future, community leaders outlined a comprehensive long-term solution to the crisis. They are urging the government to accelerate electrification projects across Ward 99. This proactive measure, they argue, would help curb illegal connections, stabilize the local grid, and ultimately better equip the struggling power utility to serve the growing community.
