‘We will be closing the roads’: Protest looms over electrification delays

PROTEST action is looming in Lethabo Park near Roodepan as fed-up residents of Phase 2 are demanding electricity.

The residents have accused Sol Plaatje Municipality of failing to stick to its commitment date for the local electrification project.

They complained of being sidelined and of being handed “empty promises” by the municipality.

The residents were promised that they would see progress on the electrification project by August 15, after the municipality assured them that the process was at an advanced stage.

This was through a letter from the local authority, signed by the senior electrical engineering and technician manager, Andrew Khoza, dated August 4.

Ahead of resorting to any protest action, the residents approached the Roodepan police station on Monday in an effort to meet with the station commander, Colonel Pieter Jansen, to intervene in the matter.

Jansen was reportedly unavailable.

The residents held a short meeting upon their return from the police station in order to map the way forward.

One of the residents pointed out that they are “sick and tired of empty promises”, dating back to March, before the municipality issued the August commitment letter.

He said he moved to Lethabo Park in 2019, where he found that the residents were already waiting for electricity.

He said they were informed that there was a budget available for electrification, but there were still too few households in the area.

“More people started to move into the area, including those from the location (Galeshewe). We were promised that the electrification process would start with us because we have been on the settlement for a longer period, which we believed,” said the resident.

He added that things didn’t work out that way when the electrification process started.

“They started with the same people whom we had to wait for to erect their shacks on the settlement. They were the first ones to get electricity as we watched on.”

He slammed the municipality for “lying” to the residents.

“We don't know why people always come to us and lie to us. The mayor was here last month and kept on laughing while addressing us. One could see that this guy is lying and taking us for fools.

“Khoza was also here to lie that everything was ready, saying that they only needed the names of six people before they set up a construction site to start working.

“Our leadership went to a meeting with the municipality a few weeks ago, where they requested us not to protest. Officials put their heads on the block that they will fulfil their promises, but nothing yet.

“We will be closing the roads tomorrow (Tuesday) to express our frustrations.”

Another resident claimed that every time a budget is available for Lethabo Park Phase 2, it is used for other areas to build houses or for paving.

“I think this is a political issue and we are within our rights to fight. So we are planning on closing the roads tomorrow because we are fed up,” she said.

Sol Plaatje Municipality spokesperson Thoko Riet said they are in the final stage of concluding the process of appointing a service provider for the electrification of Lethabo Park Phase 2.

“All the stages, being BEC and BAC (procurement processes), have been completed and we are just awaiting the final approval,” said Riet.

“It is true that funds have been allocated by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to implement phase 2 of this project in the current financial year 2023/24.

“Phase 1 was implemented during the 2021/22 financial year, funded through the Integrated National Electrification Projects.”