Protester killed in Thembisa, residents fear blackouts after arson

Thembisa residents protesting against electricity cuts for defaulting customers and “high municipal rates” have damaged a substation, sparking outrage from other residents who fear power outages are next.

A government building has also been torched, according to social media posts.

Some roads in the area have been blocked off with rocks since Sunday night by protesters. A community engagement was called in Thembisa by officials from the Ekurhuleni metro on Friday, but protesters said they wanted the metro’s mayor to address them.

Ekurhuleni metro police spokesperson Kelebogile Thepa confirmed one protester was shot dead by an officer during the protest action.

The Independent Police Investigating Directorate (Ipid) is probing the circumstances.

Confirming damage to metro infrastructure, she said: “The customer care centre and the pay points were torched. There have been a few of them [pay points] that were torched.”

Calling for calm, mayor Tania Campbell said vandalism and arson would not be tolerated.

She said five MMCs had been tasked with responding to a memorandum of demands last week, but a meeting to deal with it had ended without a resolution.

The metro will approach the Gauteng provincial administration for advice on a co-ordinated approach to resolve the impasse.

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