WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2008-04-19 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
By Thabiso Thakali
Members of South Africa’s security industry have warned that scheduled blackouts pose a risk to homes and townhouse complexes.
In a letter to Eskom, the SA Intruder Detection Services Association said load shedding was creating “a major security risk”.
And Institute for Security Studies senior researcher Johan Burger said recent cases indicated that criminals knew load-shedding schedules. He predicted an increase in crime when the power was off.
Lionel Strong, an executive member of the Security Association of SA, said: “Many of our members are reporting more robberies during power cuts than before. Criminals are targeting vulnerable areas hit by power cuts.”
Other leading security companies issued warnings to their clients, saying areas affected by load shedding, especially complexes without security guards, were targets during blackouts.
“Criminals know that in many instances security cameras don’t work when the power is off, so that is a time they can scale the walls,” said Jenny Reid of Griffiths Reid Security Consultants.
But according to several community policing forums in Gauteng, there has been no increase in robberies that can be linked to power cuts.
They said they were taking measures such as increasing police visibility during load shedding.
But Alison Bull, of Chubb Security, said response could take longer because of congestion when traffic lights are not working.
Meanwhile, several organisations have indicated they may sue Eskom over income loss as a result of constant power cuts.
Eskom has received legal claims amounting to R3-million from individual businesses, according to spokesperson Andrew Etzinger.
The dairy industry has also warned of a class action lawsuit against Eskom for milk producers’ escalating financial losses because of load shedding.
Etienne Terre’Blanche, managing director of the Milk Producers’ Organisation, said power cuts were costing the dairy industry about R100-million a month.
Furthermore, Cosatu and Solidarity want Eskom and/or the government to be held liable and sued for compensation if workers lose their jobs as a result of the power crisis.
Solidarity has announced plans to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate workers’ claims against Eskom should the electricity crisis lead to any job losses.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said the federation was concerned about the threat to jobs and the announcements in the mining sector of imminent retrenchments.
“We intend to fight this on every possible front to keep jobs secure in every possible way.
“We are looking at all available avenues, including the legal route or mobilising our members for a boycott of Eskom,” he said.