Residents of Wards 16 and 18 in Amahlongwa will soon have access to a safe and reliable electricity supply.

This came after a community and leadership engagement last week with the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.

He was joined by local leadership and engaged with the communities as part of the department’s community outreach programme on electricity challenges and the government’s plans to improve access and strengthen infrastructure.

The leadership visited various households to assess electricity functionality and challenges, and addressed the wider community at Amahlogwa Community Hall.

Eskom plans to provide electricity to 600 households in Ward 16. The planning phase is complete, and implementation is scheduled to commence in April next year.

The project will connect households to a legitimate electricity supply system and include transformer upgrades to strengthen the network and help curb illegal connections. This follows the recent connection of 100 households in Ward 18 through the electricity infill programme.

Ramokgopa said the department is committed to ensuring that every household has access to a safe and reliable electricity supply.

“These interventions will help address electricity challenges and strengthen infrastructure. However, illegal connections undermine these efforts, compromise safety and place pressure on the network. We must work together to eliminate illegal connections and build a sustainable electricity system that serves all communities.”

Umdoni’s mayor Mbali Cele-Luthuli welcomed the planned interventions for these wards, highlighting their importance in improving residents’ quality of life.

She urges residents to avoid illegal connections, pay for electricity and protect public infrastructure.

“Service delivery is a shared responsibility, and through collaboration, we can build safer, better-serviced communities,” she said.

This collaboration by the Department of Electricity and Energy, Eskom, Ugu and Umdoni Municipalities gave the locals hope for improved infrastructure and ensuring a more reliable electricity supply.

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