It now lights on for 352 families living in Extension 37 Mamelodi East.
This after MMC for Utilities Frans Boshielo officially switched on electricity in their area, which is in region 6 of Tshwane in Ward 97.
The area consists of 352 stands which have now been electrified and the scope of work in the area includes new underground electrification network infrastructure.
The project commenced construction during the previous 2023/2024 financial year.
The main network infrastructure was fast-tracked during December 2024 under the leadership of MMC Boshielo.
Boshielo personally assisted four families to activate electricity into their households.
“The benefits of the project are to increase percentages of households with access to safe electricity and reduce illegal connections while in the process assisting the City in terms of revenue collection,” said MMC for Utilities Frans Boshielo.
According to MMC Boshielo, the project will offer employment benefits for the local members of the community through the EPWP programme and will also support SMMEs in the area.
“Today as MMC for Utility Services I have switched on the electricity to 352 beneficiaries in Extension 37 as part of the Electricity for All Programme,” said Utilities MMC Frans Boshielo.
“The City has conceptualised and implemented this programme to ensure that the residents of Tshwane get access to uninterrupted electricity services,” he said.
“I am therefore appealing to the residents of the City of Tshwane not to connect electricity illegally as this illegal action is unsafe and a hindrance to our commitment to get informal settlements in Tshwane electrified,” he said.
“The residents who currently don’t have electricity must be patient because the Electricity for All Programme will eventually reach them,” said the MMC
Ward 97 Councillor Ananias Mohalusi is ecstatic about the electrification of his ward on Friday.
He told Tshwane Talks that he invited MMC Frans Boshielo to come and officially switch on electricity in the ward and also asked him to personally help activate electricity to the homes of four senior citizens.
“We are happy that the City of Tshwane Municipality has kept its promise and now people have light in their homes, the community will be safe and people will be able to buy electricity now,” he said.
Mohalusi said many people lost their lives in the process of connecting electricity illegally to their homes, this as the previous administration came and gave people temporary electricity but did not give them meters and as a result they resorted to illegal connections.
“The City of Tshwane is now legalizing everything and in this way it will be able to collect revenue from those using it’s electricity,” he said.
“My plan is to pursue the office of Utilities MMC Frans Boshielo to extend electrification to outstanding areas in the ward as well,” said Mohalusi confidently.
He said unlike the previous administration in the City of Tshwane Municipality, the new coalition government of the City is delivering services to the people.
“I’m so happy that finally illegal connection will be a thing of a past and as resident we will be like everyone in Mamelodi,” said Patric Satshaba.
“It is long overdue and finally the new administration made it happen and I’m so happy,” said Ester Ramaila.