WARD 15 SQUATTER CAMP DWELLERS WON’T VOTE IF THEY DON’T GET TEMPORARY ELECTRIFICATION

Ward 15 squatter camp dwellers have threatened that they will not vote in the forthcoming 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections if they don’t get temporary electrification with immediate effect.

Now as a means to vocalise their demand for the electrification of their area, the squatters picketed at the Heatherly electricity substation in Nellmapius near Mamelodi township where they handed a memorandum of demands to City of Tshwane Municipality MMC for Finance Eugene Modise, who is also the City of Tshwane Municipality Deputy Mayor.

Leader of the Ward 15 squatter camp dwellers andSANCO regional executive member HOD of land and environment Thulani Ndlovu told Tshwane Talks during the picket that temporary electrification of the area was a possibly, but the problem was that the City of Tshwane Municipality was simply not willing to provide it to the squatters.

The squatters say they are tired of making illegal connections and are willing to pay for the electrification of their area.

“For a very long time we have been neglected by the City of Tshwane Municipality and we have now gathered here as residents of all Ward 15 squatter camps and we are saying enough is enough; we need services as a people, we can not vote, we are not going to vote until they give us the required electrification services,” said Ndlovu.

He said the MMC for Finance has already spoken about the possibility of temporary electrification of the area and based on the MMC’s statement, they want electrification now.

“We are also human beings; we also deserve electrification in our area,” emphasised Ndlovu.

He said there are no services whatsoever at the squatter camp and that since 2016 the squatters have been ignored by the Democratic Alliance when it took over governance of the City of Tshwane Municipality.

“Now that we have a coalition government with the ANC as a senior partner, we are demanding electrification or else we will render the forthcoming Municipal elections useless,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu pointed out that on top of the demand for electrification of the area, the squatters are demanding provision of water and sanitation services, as well as roads because these are services which according to the Constitution of the country they, as as squatters, are entitled to.

“Ward 15 Councillor Joel Masilela couldn’t help us regarding the issue of electrification of our area because the City of Tshwane Municipality was under the DA administration, but now that the City of Tshwane Municipality is effectively under the control of the ANC, we are rallying behind Councillor Masilela as we believe he will help us regarding electrification of our area,” enthused Ndlovu.

“MMC Frans Boshielo, we are human beings, and if you want our votes during the forthcoming Municipal elections then give us electricity in our area,” said Ndlovu as he pleaded with MMC for Utilities Boshielo to provide squatter camp dwellers of Ward 15 with electricity.

Responding to the demand for electrification by the squatters, Deputy Mayor Modise, who personally received the memorandum of grievances, said the Municipality has a programme called “Electricity for All,” whereby all people including squatters will be accommodated.

“From Monday we will conduct an assessment so as to quantify the need and the capacity of the transformer that will be installed in the area while in the process measuring the number of cables that will be needed,” explained Modise.

“We are going to make sure that the electrification process is standardised so that it would be sustainable and safe for use by residents because we don’t want to kill people,” he said.

Regarding the demand for water, Modise said the following:

“Water is a social imperative and a human right and we are therefore going to install Jojo tanks which will be filled with clean water as we don’t want to compromise the health of our people.”

Modise revealed that as the City of Tshwane Municipality they are aware of people who are currently supplying illegal electricity to the squatters and procuring illegal transformers, and that a component of the City of Tshwane Metro Police was currently conducting investigations in this regard.

“We are going to start at SMV and Mooiplass, then move to Skierlik and all other informal settlements and you are going to feel the service delivery of the City,” said Modise as he assured the squatters that their demand for electrification will definitely be heeded.