It’s Goodbye Izinyoka, and hello Innovative Electrification for 700 Wells Estate families
Published: November 23, 2022<< BACK TO NEWS
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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, 23 November 2022.
The 700 shack dwellers were part of more than 2000
residents in the area that had connected illegally to the Municipal power grid.
NMBM Electricity and Energy Mayoral Committee Member, Cllr
Lance Grootboom joined hundreds of residents in celebration of the milestone
and completion of the electrification project at the informal settlement.
During the event, MMC Grootboom said Christmas has 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 2200 homes and this was 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 MMC 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, 33, said 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 childrens’
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 safety use of electricity.
Ends.
Issued by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
Communications office
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