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Last Wednesday, 13 March 2019, the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, was joined by the MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services (EISD), Cllr Nico de Jager, at the launch of the R17 million second phase of electrifying Meriting Informal Settlement, South of Johannesburg.
Through the City of Johannesburg’s power utility, City Power, 480 households will be electrified by September. During this electrification, 120 streetlights will also be installed.
Over 500 households have already been electrified since March 2017. After the City’s Housing Department allocated land and stands to beneficiaries, City Power can now start phase two.
City Power is expected to procure about 16 local labourers as a way to create job opportunities for the local people and for the local people to be involved in the implementation of the project.
City Power will provide electricity to Meriting households using a low voltage Aerial bundle conductor (ABC) cable. The cable is made of aluminium and is not prone to cable theft because it has got little or no scrap metal value. It is made of a steel core which makes it difficult for cable thieves to cut and steal it.
Electrification prevents possible dangerous illegal connections, and allows City Power to install prepaid meters into residents’ homes. The possibility of illegal connections overloading the power grid resulting in prolonged unplanned outages are also minimised.
To date, 2 167 units (structures) in informal settlements have been electrified with the City of Joburg promising that more projects will begin soon.
Council passed the Adjustment Budget in January, allowing R82 million additional spending for the electrification of informal settlements, bringing the budget to R200 million for the 2018/19 financial year.
