AFTER more than three decades without electricity, residents of Gumntethe in Ward 1 under Pongola Municipality will soon see the light — literally.
Within the next three months, the community’s long-standing dependence on firewood and candles will come to an end as the municipality begins electrification work in the area.

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For years, residents — including school pupils — have been forced to travel to neighbouring wards to charge their cellphones and laptops just to complete schoolwork.

On Tuesday, Pongola Mayor Bheki Thwala and members of his executive team visited the area to introduce the appointed contractor responsible for the installation.

“When I first came here after being invited by the ward councillor, I was deeply moved by the residents’ suffering,” said Thwala.

“I made a promise that, under this administration, we would prioritise resolving this issue. These residents have been neglected for more than 31 years, despite changes in leadership between the IFP and the ANC. Now, the installation of electricity will finally begin and should be completed within three months.”

The R5.6-million project has created 13 local job opportunities for unemployed residents.
Thwala encouraged community members to buy electricity tokens rather than bypass meters, adding that pensioners and child-headed households who cannot afford to pay should apply for assistance through the municipality’s indigent programme.

On Wednesday, the mayor also met with residents of Ward 6 at Mashobane community hall to introduce another contractor — this time for the construction of a sports field aimed at promoting youth development and steering young people away from substance abuse.

“The new sports field will give young people a safe space to focus on sport instead of crime,” said Thwala.

“Our annual Mayoral Cup attracts PSL scouts who identify talented players. Sport can change lives, and we want our youth to benefit from these opportunities.”

The mayor urged communities to safeguard all contractors and infrastructure projects.

“If we steal from them, they won’t be able to complete their work on time — or at all,” he cautioned.

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