Military families without power as SANDU demands action
“17 days without electricity is unacceptable. Our members deserve basic and dignified living and working conditions,” SANDU said.
Members and families at 4 SA Infantry Battalion in Middelburg have been without electricity since July 26, according to the South African National Defence Union (SANDU).
The union said the outage has also left military families, including children, without warm water and is affecting members' accommodation, meals and the day-to-day administration of the base.
After attempts to resolve the matter through local command structures failed to produce a solution or clear restoration timeline, SANDU's lawyers formally served the Department of Defence with a letter of demand requiring electricity to be restored within 72 hours.
“17 days without electricity is unacceptable. Our members deserve basic and dignified living and working conditions,” SANDU said in its August 11 statement.
The union said it expects the Department of Defence to act urgently. Should the matter not be resolved, members are considering lawful remedies including legal action, protest action, petitions and picketing, while reserving all their rights.
Lynette Spencer
Mariana Balt
Liz Thorne
Naomi Roebert
