This year marks 14 years since rolling electricity blackouts became the norm in this country, introducing the term load-shedding. The nation has been forced to accept it as a way of life, as guaranteed as the sun rising the next day.
It has seen many resorting to seeking solutions outside of what the state has to offer as it has become increasingly clear that those mandated to provide our primary source of power, Eskom, are unlikely to win the war against the darkness any time soon.
So every effort at every level aimed at helping to keep the lights on is welcome and every effort should be made to encourage such endeavours by the citizenry.
However, as always, there would be those seeking to cut corners, wreak havoc and then take advantage of the ensuing chaos. A case in point was the news SowetanLIVE reported last week on the damage to electricity infrastructure in Soshanguve, a township north of Pretoria, as some residents protested against load reduction, another form of rolling blackouts in the area.
Vehicles, buildings and other infrastructure were damaged and vandalised at a local electricity depot as members of the community vented their anger at being left powerless in the face of the stinging winter chill. The municipality then made a passionate plea to residents to desist from such action because it was detrimental to the collective effort to keep the lights on.
The City of Tshwane's member of the mayoral council (MMC) for utilities and regional operations, Daryl Johnston, voiced the municipality's frustrations with such behaviour by communities and said Tshwane would not tolerate it and planned to open criminal cases against those concerned.
It is, unfortunately, talk that wouldn't send a chill down the spines of the vandals unless visible action such as the arrest of the thugs follows. Despite the frustrations people may have with the debilitating power cuts, no-one has the right to damage property. Such behaviour is nothing short of criminal but it will continue unabated if thugs know they will get away with it.
The message to those in power is they need to act, and do so decisively.
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