Empowering shack-dwellers
To date a total of 9 943 households have been electrified in informal settlements such as Langaville, Inxiweni, Marikana, Winnie Mandela and Ekuthuleni.
Ekurhuleni executive mayor Clr Mzwandile Masina has announced a R2.4-billion programme for the electrification of informal settlements across Ekurhuleni, with over 16 000 households to be completed by the end of this financial year.
The five-year programme has started in informal settlements located on state-owned land while the legalities of rolling out the programme in privately owned informal settlements are being reviewed.
“We have begun to electrify households in our current informal settlements as per our manifesto commitment,” said Masina.
“We are also planning to install streetlights to improve the safety of our people, especially women and children.”
To date a total of 9 943 households have been electrified in informal settlements such as Langaville, Inxiweni, Marikana, Winnie Mandela and Ekuthuleni.
The installation of streetlights is currently being rolled out, with 2 263 of the targeted 3000 streetlights and 156 high-mast lights already installed. Work is underway to achieve the targeted 400 high-mast lights around Ekurhuleni’s 119 informal settlements.
Improving household lighting for the poor requires stability in our energy sources.
Plans are currently underway to create the necessary settlement structures that make safe and secure electricity connections possible.
These plans include the implementation of alternative and renewable energy to limit dependence on the national grid and improve security of energy while protecting the environment by limiting greenhouse emissions.
