EVATON.– The extended periods that the community of Evaton and Small Farm has endured without electricity could soon be a thing of the past.

This follows a series of engagements between residents, the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), Eskom, and the Office of the Premier during the recent Imbizo programme.

ELM’s mayor, Hassan Mako, announced last week that the long-awaited re-electrification of Evaton has officially begun.

Mako’s office announced last week that contractor sites have been established, construction materials are already on site, and physical work has begun.

Evaton has, in recent years, experienced severe electricity supply challenges due to damaged transformers, theft of copper conductors, illegal connections, vandalism, and persistent tampering with Eskom electrical infrastructure.

Mako’s office said the cumulative impact of this infrastructure degradation has necessitated a comprehensive approach to restoring and strengthening the township’s electricity network, rather than relying solely on isolated repairs.

“The commencement of the re-electrification programme therefore represents more than the replacement of damaged infrastructure. It is part of a broader network rehabilitation and resilience intervention, aimed at restoring reliable electricity supply while improving the ability of the distribution network to withstand vandalism, theft and other forms of infrastructure interference.”

The office further announced that a particularly significant aspect of the intervention is Eskom’s deployment of aluminium conductors in place of conventional copper conductors in appropriate sections of the network.

Aluminium remains an effective electrical conductor while having substantially less resale value in the illicit scrap-metal market. This approach strengthens the network while incorporating measures designed to reduce the vulnerability of critical electricity infrastructure to theft.

“The infrastructure currently being installed belongs to the community.

Mako was on the ground in Evaton last week, engaging directly with residents and witnessing the commencement of the work.

“For the municipality, the journey from the Gauteng Provincial Government’s Imbizo engagements to the establishment of contractor sites and the commencement of construction demonstrates the importance of converting community concerns into structured interventions, securing the cooperation of strategic government and state-owned entities, and maintaining political and administrative focus until implementation begins.”

Mako extended his appreciation to Eskom and the Office of the Premier for their cooperation and commitment towards restoring and strengthening electricity infrastructure in Evaton.

At the same time, the mayor called on residents to recognise that sustainable service delivery requires a partnership between government and communities.

“The infrastructure currently being installed belongs to the community and is critical to the economic and social functioning of Evaton. The appeal is therefore plain and clear: communities must protect the infrastructure being delivered. Vandalism, illegal connections, cable theft and tampering with electricity infrastructure undermine the very services that residents depend upon and can significantly delay the restoration of a stable electricity supply.”