The excitement of moving into new RDP houses quickly wore off for Egoli residents, who are still battling without electricity over a year later.
Fed up residents yesterday marched to the site contractor’s offices where they demanded their old electricity boxes back with the hope that Buffalo City Metro would send electricians to install them.
Their fight, which began when the first beneficiaries received the keys to their new homes at beginning of last year, has seen them visiting both the department of human settlements and BCM, without receiving answers.
The residents, many of whom have resorted to illegal electricity connections or paraffin stoves, accused government departments of pushing a political agenda against their DA-run ward.
Their RDP homes were among 100 defective houses which were demolished and rebuilt, with four-roomed houses erected in their place.
Doreen Ruiters, resident and South African National Civic Organisation member, said she felt they were being victimised because they were poor. “Do we have to resort to burning tyres in the street in order to get these people’s attention? Because we have no problem doing that.
“This situation is making us feel desperate. Other people are now connecting electricity illegally from street lights or paying their neighbours for it monthly. How long must we live like this?”
Another resident, Veronica Watson, said her asthma had flared up soon after moving into her new house. “It’s because of the fumes from the paraffin stove. The minute that thing is switched on the fumes fill up the entire house and my chest immediately becomes tight,” she said.
Michelle Classen said: “They gave us beautiful new homes with white walls but now those walls are black from paraffin smoke.”
In a story which appeared in the Daily Dispatch last year, BCM spokesman Thandy Matebese said funds to electrify RDP houses came from a grant from a national office. Houses would be electrified when funding become available.
Matebese gave the same response yesterday. “Apparently the building contractor removed the electricity supplies to these houses without consulting with the metro. Funding for the electrification of RDP houses is a grant from national government which is applied for on a yearly basis. Each RDP house is entitled to one free subsidised connection and this has been done to the houses within Egoli.”
Residents also complained about cracked walls, leaking roofs and poor plumbing. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Egoli residents still without electricity
Fed up residents yesterday marched to the site contractor’s offices where they demanded their old electricity boxes back with the hope that Buffalo City Metro would send electricians to install them.
Their fight, which began when the first beneficiaries received the keys to their new homes at beginning of last year, has seen them visiting both the department of human settlements and BCM, without receiving answers.
The residents, many of whom have resorted to illegal electricity connections or paraffin stoves, accused government departments of pushing a political agenda against their DA-run ward.
Their RDP homes were among 100 defective houses which were demolished and rebuilt, with four-roomed houses erected in their place.
Doreen Ruiters, resident and South African National Civic Organisation member, said she felt they were being victimised because they were poor. “Do we have to resort to burning tyres in the street in order to get these people’s attention? Because we have no problem doing that.
“This situation is making us feel desperate. Other people are now connecting electricity illegally from street lights or paying their neighbours for it monthly. How long must we live like this?”
Another resident, Veronica Watson, said her asthma had flared up soon after moving into her new house. “It’s because of the fumes from the paraffin stove. The minute that thing is switched on the fumes fill up the entire house and my chest immediately becomes tight,” she said.
Michelle Classen said: “They gave us beautiful new homes with white walls but now those walls are black from paraffin smoke.”
In a story which appeared in the Daily Dispatch last year, BCM spokesman Thandy Matebese said funds to electrify RDP houses came from a grant from a national office. Houses would be electrified when funding become available.
Matebese gave the same response yesterday. “Apparently the building contractor removed the electricity supplies to these houses without consulting with the metro. Funding for the electrification of RDP houses is a grant from national government which is applied for on a yearly basis. Each RDP house is entitled to one free subsidised connection and this has been done to the houses within Egoli.”
Residents also complained about cracked walls, leaking roofs and poor plumbing. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
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