ILLEGAL electricity connections will be a thing of the past for the residents of Elephant Park informal settlement in Ward 60, following the connection of 700 hundred shack dwellers to the innovative electrification on Wednesday, November 23.
The 700 shack dwellers were part of more than 2 000 residents in the area that had connected illegally to the Municipal power grid.
NMBM electricity and energy mayoral committee member, Councillor Lance Grootboom, joined hundreds of residents in celebration of the milestone and completion of the electrification project at the informal settlement.
During the event, Grootboom said Christmas had come early for the 700 families who were connected on Tuesday.
“We are here to provide the basic service of electricity to our people. But most importantly we are here to put an end to the illegal connections that were used in this community for years. Those wires were not safe, especially for our children, but today we are celebrating that residents will no longer put their lives in danger because we have provided them with safe electricity.
“This progress also comes with great responsibility. We are urging residents to take care of the infrastructure we have put here. The municipality has made a huge investment in this community. We have already electrified 2 200 homes and these were the last 700 homes in this area.
“The project was a success and we trust that residents will enjoy this basic human right and embrace the responsibility that comes with it,” said Grootboom.
Ward 60 Councillor, Thembinkosi Mafana, switched on the electricity in resident Simphiwe Molaphekoa’s home and urged the community to not connect illegally again as legal action would be taken against those found tampering with electricity meters.
The excited Molaphekoa said that he was happy to be free from paying for illegal connections.
“I feel very happy to finally be connected legally and have safe electricity in my house.
“There were times I had to use my children’s social grant money to pay for the illegal connections, so now I am free from those extra costs and will only focus on buying electricity. My two children will be safe; we are really happy,” he said.
Residents were also educated on the safe use of electricity.
– ISSUED ON BEHALF OF
THE NMBM BY MEDIA LIAISON
OFFICER, MAMELA NDAMASE
