The cause of the tension between the two communities appears to be an alleged council document which states that the DA voted against electrifying the informal area in the ward. Numerous irate residents referred to the document at the volatile public meeting and questioned why council was not installing electricity in the area. ANC councillor Alderman Charlie Williams appealed for calm and asked the community for time so that they can address the problem with the authorities.
Those living in formal housing are complaining that the shack dwellers are stealing electricity by making illegal connections, resulting in an erratic power supply. Bongiwe Nduda, who lives in the formal housing area, said, "We buy R600 electricity, but it does not even last us a month because the shack dwellers tap into our supply. The illegal connections are dangerous as people, especially children, get electrocuted."
A shack dweller said it is dangerous after dark when muggings and rapes take place. "If they don't give it we will take it."
ANC Councillor Guilford Sihoyiya told the meeting, "Only when you march to the municipality will they take you seriously. We are fighting for you to have electricity in council; it is the DA that is opposing it."
But Alderman Flip de Swardt, DA councillor and chief whip of council denied these allegations vehemently. He told the George Herald that in November Councillor Busiswe Salmani (ANC) tabled a motion demanding that this area be electrified immediately. "Obviously the DA supported the motion, but felt obliged to oppose it as this section's electrification is not on this year's budget. It would have been irresponsible of the DA to support a council decision that cannot materialise. After the council meeting the ANC made copies of the motion and the reply and distributed it under the false premise that we opposed electrification."
De Swardt said that during his term of office as mayor, council introduced a 1% levy on the sale of electricity so that the electrification of the informal areas would be done at a faster pace than national government can provide finance for. "We have a plan in place and are working to an agreed schedule that starts with the oldest areas first."
Currently the servicing of 4 940 informal erven in 28 pockets in Thembalethu is going ahead. The value of the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (UISP) for the 2013/2014 financial year is valued at R39,6-million. The serviced stand has basic sanitation, household water, a permanent toilet and a wash trough structure as well electricity.
The toilet and wash trough forms the basis of the serviced erven in Thembalethu. Electricity is installed once the area is occupied.
ARTICLE: MYRON RABINOWITZ, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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