Electricity to 1 600 structures through urgent short-term project

GEORGE NEWS - George Municipality is constantly faced with enormous challenges regarding the electrification of newly approved housing projects such as Erf 325, Golden Valley, Thembalethu UISP where these housing projects are implemented by the Western Cape Provincial Department of Human Settlements, according to a 14 June media statement issued by the local authority.

It says that the financial responsibility for the supply of services such as water and electricity falls to the municipality, and it is reliant on grant funding to implement.

The immense growth in illegal informal housing in areas has further increased the funding deficit, as well as increased damage to the overall electrical infrastructure due to ongoing illegal connections.

The Electrotechnical Department in an effort to formalise the provision of electrical services to informal settlements has drafted the minimum criteria that will be adhered to for the electrification of informal areas in the future.

As of May 2014 up to April 2023 a total of 1 600 informal structures have been added to the network at a cost of just over R17 million.

The cost per structure for electrification is between R10 000 to R13 000, which includes a prepaid meter.

Connections

In line with a Council-approved item, the Electrotechnical Directorate has embarked on the electrification construction work, which started at Telkom informal area, and is spreading through Sityebi-Sityebi informal area and thereafter Edameni.

The municipality is working tirelessly to expedite these connections, in order to roll out even more electrification of informal settlements connections in the future years.

A pilot to supply informal settlements with renewable energy is also progressing well and should be commissioned in the upcoming months. This pilot project will also assist in the plans to expedite the electrification of informal settlements.

Mayor Leon van Wyk said he is happy to see the progress made in the electrification of the Telkom informal structures and looks forward to switching on the consumers in the near future.

"It is always to good to see the plans approved by Council being implemented and improving the lives of our residents. We need to continue this drive and expedite the commissioning of the pilot projects so that the municipality can continue addressing the enormous challenge of illegal connections."

During a recent visit to areas that have received electricity, from left: Jandre van Zyl (VE Electrical Contractors), Ralton Abrahams (BDE Electrical Consulting Engineers), Cllr Khayalethu Lose, Louden Roelfse (VE), Nocicelo Mbethe (portfolio councillor for Electrotechnical Services), Deon Esterhuysen (manager: Projects Planning and Design), Ward 9 Cllr Thembinkosi Lento, Joubert Theart (Zutari Civil Consulting Engineers), Mayor Leon van Wyk, Kevin Grunewald (BDE), Bongani Mandla (director: Electrification).