Fifty-six-year-old Valery Makhubo jumped for joy when the Executive Mayor of the City of Joburg, Cllr Herman Mashaba, switched on the plug to electrify her home in Meriting, south of Joburg.
Mayor Mashaba was there to turn the sod for the second phase of the Meriting Electrification Project. He was accompanied by Council Speaker Vasco da Gama, Region G Director Mickey Padayachee and City Power CEO Lerato Setshedi.
Makhubo’s boundless joy stemmed from the fact that her informal settlement joins many others in benefiting from City Power’s five-year VUCA plan. The plan identifies Visible Public Lighting as a response to the City’s Diphetogo initiative, which aims to change people’s lives through the provision of basic services.
Mayor Mashaba told residents of Meriting informal settlement near Lenasia that the City’s multi-party government will continue to be pro-poor. He said the second phase of the electrification of the informal settlement, which encompasses 480 households, will begin at the end of March.
City Power has already electrified over 500 households in Meriting and has budgeted over R17 million for the second phase of the project, which includes the installation of 120 streetlights.
The mayor said the second phase will have many positive spinoffs for the community, with the creation of work opportunities as part of the Expanded Public Works Programme. He encouraged residents to protect their electricity infrastructure. “You must care for this infrastructure because it is meant for your well-being and the country as a whole,” he said.
In light of the theft and vandalism of electrical cables, City Power will provide electricity to Meriting households using a low-voltage Aerial Bundle Conductor (ABC) cable. This cable is made of aluminium and is not prone to theft.
The City hopes that the electrification of informal settlements will eliminate the risk of illegal connections and the electrocutions that come with it; reduce the possibility of fatalities and eliminate the risk of overloading of the power system.
Electricity provision creates opportunities for small and medium businesses in the townships to start and grow businesses. It also improves the quality of life of local people. The installation of street lights improves the safety of residents.
The City believes the installation of prepaid meters enable customers to control their electricity consumption and subsequently save money.
