SEDIBENG.- Recent efforts to bring electricity back to Evaton, Small Farm and surrounding areas are nothing new, according to the DA.

The party says its ongoing pressure is what secured the transformers currently being installed in the Evaton area.

This follows a recent announcement from the office of Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Mayor, Hassan Mako, which announced that contractor sites had been set up, materials were on site, and physical construction had begun.

In recent years, Evaton has suffered severe power supply problems caused by damaged transformers, copper theft, illegal connections, vandalism, and the tampering of Eskom electrical infrastructure.

Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, DA representative Kingsol Chabalala explained that Emfuleni has long struggled with broken and faulty transformers leading to constant power outages.

In response to these issues, the DA launched a petition titled “Give Emfuleni Its Power Back” in 2021, which Chabalala submitted to the National Council of Provinces in November of that year.

During a petition hearing in 2023, the Gauteng Provincial Government, Emfuleni, and Eskom promised to replace all broken transformers in the municipality by May 2024. However, that deadline passed without action from the authorities.

“We marched to the Gauteng Provincial Government offices to raise the matter, but the Premier still failed to intervene and ensure that the broken transformers were replaced. In 2025, we returned to the NCOP to request its intervention. As a result, the NCOP visited Evaton in February 2026,” Chabalala said.

He added that these actions form part of the DA’s sustained campaign to restore power to Emfuleni, criticising the local ANC-led administration for what he described as complete lethargy in offering assistance.

Eskom has now started electrification work and is installing new transformers in the area.

“While this represents progress, we are not satisfied with the pace of implementation. Given how long residents have been without reliable electricity, the ANC-led administration still shows no real sense of urgency. Reliable and affordable electricity directly drives job creation by powering business growth, while power shortages and high energy costs destroy existing jobs and halt hiring,” Chabalala concluded.