Amid a wave of violent crime, residents in the Maroela South housing project in Kraaifontein are still awaiting electricity connection; this more than a year after the first batch of houses were handed over to beneficiaries by the City of Cape Town.
The project involves the construction of 395 state-subsidised BNG homes and 175 Gap housing, of which to date 120 houses have been completed with the next phase of construction set to continue after finalisation of tender.
Community representative Gavin Riddles last week told TygerBurger that the situation has become untenable with beneficiaries now choosing to move out, rather than being targeted by criminals.
“They are giving up hope on ever getting electricity, some having moved out and others renting out their houses. There are no street lights either, and at night the area descends into darkness.
“Two bodies of people killed during the night were were found in recent times, and residents are robbed on a daily basis,” he says.
“There are a lot of shootings and break-ins or attempted break-ins occur almost every night. People live in fear as they wait to hear if burglars will pull at their doors in the dead of night,” he says.
According to Riddles, the 117 residents currently living in the housing project are dependent on gas for lights and cooking, something they can’t really afford.
“Some residents had put up solar lighting, but this got stolen very soon.
They live in darkness while Eskom remains a ghost.”
Meeting
At a recent subcouncil meeting PR councillor Siseko Mbandezi impressed the urgency of this matter to prevent community unrest.
He told TygerBurger that Eskom had made many empty promises since last year to construct the necessary electricity infrastructure in the area.
“If they don’t have the money to electrify the area they should say so and stop making promises,” he said.
“Eskom promised a substation by May this year. It is now September and now there is another excuse. Its no secret that Eskom is having serious financial problems, this as a result of state capture.
“The last we heard from them was about suppliers having to come from Paarl, but they are silent now. It is very unfortunate.
“They have to stop making promises and give us a definite date so these people can work on something,” he last week said to TygerBurger.
Siseko says the current situation places the City in a difficult position as it risks illegal invasion should construction come to a halt, while waiting for Eskom to provide the electrical infrastructure for the housing project.
Resolution
In response to a media inquiry made by TygerBurger, Eskom on Monday announced that the main construction phase of the (overhead) project involving the Denova substation and the high voltage line, has been successfully completed.
“The long awaited electrification of the area unfortunately faced delays leaving the residents eager for updates.
“Although various challenges have hindered the electrification timeline, Eskom is pleased to make the announcement.
“The next phase, which includes electrification, is ready to commence with the contractor already appointed,” stated Eskom spokesperson Kyle Cookson.
Delay in electrification
According to Eskom the delay in electrification can be attributed to a combination of logistical challenges and supply chain issues.
“These factors have affected the project timeline pushing back the expected completion date.
“Eskom is actively addressing these challenges to minimise the impact on residents,” he said.
“Despite these setbacks, Eskom has reaffirmed its dedication to electrifying Maroela and is working closely with local authorities and stakeholders to expedite the process to ensure that once the project resumes it will be implemented efficiently.”
