Library without electricity for five months

By Masilo Malakwane

QWA QWA – Phuthaditjhaba community Library staff say they are tired of working and sitting in darkness due to the power outages of the last five months.

They said they have lodged several complaints to the local municipality’s electricity and infrastructure department but the problem persists.

Regular library users who are frustrated with the impact of the ongoing power outages are now also appealing to the municipality to intervene by restoring power to the library building.

Bolawana Litali from Super said: “We are no longer able to do simple things like photocopying and print-outs for our school projects due to the power cuts. It’s really affecting our school progress badly.”  

A staff member who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said: “I think it’s common knowledge that this library has been without electricity for more than five months now. Unfortunately, children can no longer utilise computers and the intrrnet services due to the power crisis. I’m starting to think that they (electricity department) are ignoring our plea to restore power.”  

Librarian Assistant, Joseph Motaung regretted that members of the public are being inconvenienced by the lack of electricity which has negatively affected library clients.  

“We have noted that the power lines that were supplying us with electricity have been cut off. This could be due to the construction work that is taking place here.”

For his part, the member of the mayoral committee responsible for electricity and infrastructure, Cllr Shashapa Motaung, said they are aware of the power crisis at the library, and promised to attend to it.

“I have delegated a team that will go there and start work to restore power at the library,” said Motaung.