Thembisa Shologu and Lerato Mailoane
Snake Park residents in Soweto celebrated the Easter long weekend with excitement after their lights were switched on following living in the dark for over three years.
On Friday, Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi and the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Mzi Khumalo shared the Easter cheer with residents with the installation of transformers and handing out Easter eggs to residents of the township.
Since 2020, parts of Block 10 in Snake Park has been affected by power outages when transformers exploded due to illegal connections.
After countless meetings with residents and power utility Eskom, Premier Lesufi could finally get the community’s transformers replaced.
Through the provincial government intervention where the community and Eskom had reached a stale mate since Eskom alleged that only 18% of the community were buying electricity but following discussions with government, they agreed to remove illegal connections, reconnect paying customers and those that cannot afford to pay to be registered as indigents.
On Tuesday, Lakeside residents in Evaton also rejoiced as they finally got their transformers replaced after an over four -years-long wait as part of the provincial government’s Energy Response Crisis programme.
The aim of the programme is aimed at reducing loadshedding impact, transformer replacements, installations of smart electricity meters, and curbing illegal electricity connections.
Transformers were replaced in Driezik, Orange Farm and Evaton East and West.
Community member, Nomshado Ndude said she was part of the team working together with the councillor in trying to assist the community to getting back the long-awaited flicker of light illuminated their streets.
“We were struggling, using paraffin and candles, worse my daughter was doing Grade 12 and studying using a candle. It wasn’t easy, but she passed, even got distinctions.
“Today we are happy to finally get the transformer switched on because it was installed last week, and we thought it was again going to be a long wait to have it turned on. We thought it wouldn’t be switched on, the waiting just seemed too long.,” said Ndude.
She expressed gratitude to Premier Panyaza Lesufi for having delivered on his promise to assist communities to get electricity back.
Disappointing, she said was the way communities alleged the R500 payment required by Eskom from household was a way for her and the councillor to scam people on their hard-earned monies.
“It was hard, people were rude, very impolite accusing us of scamming them because we wanted to steal their money.
“However, people really came through with the payments, some were paying it in installments, some were even using their R350 government grant to pay. Our efforts finally paid off,” said an ecstatic Ndude.
Concurring with Ndude, Ward 2 Councillor, Jeannette Ramafikeng said she was grateful that their long journey finally came to an end.
Councillor Ramafikeng said in Lakeside about 24 transformers were non-functional and through the provincial government’s intervention only one was not replaced but soon to be.
“We are grateful as a community that Premier Lesufi has changed the people’s lives. We all know how difficult life can get when people do not have electricity.
“It even gets costly because people must now buy paraffin and gas. Thank you Premier for your efforts, your help should not stop with us, continue helping other communities and changing lives,” said Ramafikeng.
Resident, Shadrack Mofokeng said the last time they had electricity was in March 2020.
Mofokeng sadly lost his mother during all this period due to diabetes because her medication needed to be placed in a refrigerator.
“It has been hard, I lost my mom during that time because her medication had to be always refrigerated and it couldn’t.
“She had diabetes and her injections needed to be placed in a cool place. We lived on a hand to mouth basis, we could not stock food. Today is a new day, we are very grateful. I hope we never get to experience this, ever!” said the 58-year-old.
Premier Lesufi apologised profusely to the community for having gone through all these years without electricity.
SOURCED FROM THE GPG WEBSITE.
