Informal area finally turns on the lights

RESIDENTS of the once embattled Thembelihle informal settlement in Johannesburg were jubilant yesterday when the City of Johannesburg finally electrified their area.

The settlement near Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, has been at loggerheads with the Gauteng government over non-provision of basic services including proper housing, sanitation and electricity.

Last year soldiers, police officers, metro police and home affairs officials were deployed to the settlement as it was engulfed in violent protests for service delivery.

President Jacob Zuma, human settlements MEC Paul Mashatile and Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau were the main VIPs at the event yesterday.

Thembelihle resident Thabo Melaphi said they were happy they did not need to be in conflict with Lenasia residents anymore because of outages caused by illegal connections.

“Now we have our electricity, we will no longer be harassed about illegal connections.”

Tau said it was wrong to say people were making illegal connections when the government failed to connect for them.

“I don’t like saying they connected illegally because that is about criminalising the poor.

“We can’t continue criminalising the poor,” Tau said.

Tau, who is also running to return as mayor in the upcoming local government elections, said all Johannesburg informal settlements would be electrified when the incoming administration finishes its term.

He said the municipality had spent R172-million to electrify the area with a micro-grid which was a mix of energy forms.

“The first form of electricity they get is from photo voltaic energy which saves energy in a battery during the day.”

Tau added that when the power was depleted, electricity from the grid will kick in.

Another resident, Nolwazi Mayekiso, however, said she was unhappy that the community was not told when they would be provided with housing.

“We need houses here and we need stands so that we can be able to legally build houses,” Mayekiso said.

Mashatile said his department would return to Thembelihle to brief the community about its plans regarding housing.