KNYSNA NEWS - Residents of Rosemore informal settlement in Concordia have barricaded the Concordia Road with burning tyres and closed the road with a guardrail this morning, Thursday 3 June.
The angry residents demand electricity from the municipality.
In addition to closing the Concordia Road, access to Joodsekamp, Jabulane and Faith Mission Church has also been blocked and the Knysna Community Day Care (CDC) is closed.
In a public notice, Knysna Municipality informed residents and businesses that refuse will not be collected in Joodsekamp today due to the protest action.
“Knysna CDC is closed today, 3 June 2021, due to a protest action in the area. Appointments will be followed up tomorrow,” reads the notice.
The municipality warned motorists of the closure of the Concordia Road, near the Knysna CDC, and advised motorists to be cautious and use alternative routes.
Residents burning tyres in Concordia this morning.
Ward 8 Councillor Thando Matika said the residents are unhappy that their electricity has not been connected yet. “The main problem is that the municipality was installing electricity in Rosemore. The project started last year with phase 1, and phase 2 started in February. There are about 13 houses that are left in phase two. The bulk infrastructure has been installed and the only outstanding thing is the transformer,” he said.
According to Matika the reason for the delay in switching on the electricity is the current unavailability of transformers, which are imported from overseas.
The contractor, MDL, said they have a deadlock regarding transformers. “They have been promising to bring the transformer within two weeks, but recently they sent an e-mail claiming that the transformer will arrive on 17 June, but residents said they want the transformer to arrive by Monday,” said Matika.
“The problem is only the transformers,” said Matika.
The next area scheduled to receive electricity is Zwelitsha, where the bulk infrastructure has already been installed.
Residents burning tyres in Concordia this morning.
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