Merafong residents in the dark about Lesufi’s promises of light

Despite Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s new 800MW solar farm project set to take off in less than two weeks, residents of Merafong in the West Rand are questioning the process with many concerned it will not create long-term employment as believed.

Gauteng govt’s 800MW solar farm plan

Residents claimed they had no clue what Lesufi’s plans are because they were not informed about the construction.

Lesufi’s spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said it was possible that “the public may or may not have heard about the project based on their interaction with their municipality”.

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“The project is on the Skills Development Professionals (SDP) and Integrated Development Plan (IDP) of the municipality, it has been taken through the municipal approval process.

“As we enter into the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, a public participation process will be undertaken which will further inform the public on the project,” said Mhaga.

Independent power producers

However, residents argued that with the provincial government already finalising plans to release the land to six independent power producers (IPPs) for the Merafong solar farm cluster by the end of March, the municipality should have announced this already.

Local business owner and NGO founder Puseletso Masolane of Maso Lane Holdings said while the power plant was a good initiative to get Merafong, especially sections like Khutsong and Welverdiend, back to what they used to be, they felt cheated.

Masolane said in a town where 85% of the residents do not work, “the plant was supposed to turn this place around, but how is it supposed to do that when people don’t even know it’s being built right where they live?

“These small businesses they are overlooking are supposed to bring jobs in this area. Ask anyone around, they don’t know about a power plant. It feels like the residents of the area don’t even matter. Everyone can benefit at our expense just not us,” she added.

Job creation

A resident, Tefo Moitsheki who was found filling potholes on 10th Avenue, said after seven to nine years of unemployment, he hoped the project would give residents in the area jobs.

“I’m very hopeful, but concerned this is happening under wraps, even though they are still in talks about it. We should at least know it’s happening,” he added.

“I can’t hear from someone from a different town about something of this magnitude happening in my backyard.”

Moitsheki said Carletonville was completely different now.

“Look at the Blue Ribbon bread factory and other factories that were here. These abandoned buildings should tell you what this once was.

“Now we survive off the R350 given to us. I don’t understand how something this big happening in two weeks could slip their minds.”

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