Faizel Patel, 2016-06-30
President Jacob Zuma says the electrification of informal settlements in South Africa is a formula that must be adopted by the country nationally.
Zuma was addressing residents of Thembelihle informal settlement in Lenasia today for the unveiling of a R152 million rand project that will see the electrification of Thembelihle.
Zuma was joined by the provincial leadership of Gauteng which included Joburg Mayor Parks Tau and MEC for human settlements Paul Mashatile.
President Jacob Zuma says the electrification of informal settlements helps government address energy shortages whilst dealing with other service delivery issues including illegal electricity connections.
Mayor Parks Tau said the poor were often referred to as Izinyoka Nyoka because they want access to electricity.
“Energy is a necessity. I want to agree with the mayor, that if we call it other names certainly you are criminalising our people who are in need of energy.”
Zuma says he is going to encourage those that deal with energy to adopt the method of providing electricity services nationwide.
“In other words, in the next five years, every citizen of Johannesburg will have electricity, authorised by government and connected by government instead of connecting ourselves.”
There have been several violent protests in Thembelihle over electricity and Zuma says he is in the area to celebrate the City of Johannesburg’s new project with the community.
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