Hope blossomed for scores of Kanana informal settlement residents after Buffalo City Metro finally rolled out their electrification project, after 20 years of protests and pleas from the community.
Yesterday, Buffalo City Mayor Xola Pakati, together with infrastructure portfolio head Ncedo Kumbaca, conducted a sod-turning ceremony in the area.
Kumbaca said his directorate would install electrical reticulation and 106 house service connections for phase one and two in Kanana.
“The work to be carried out includes the construction of low voltage and medium voltage overhead mains, including pole-mounted transformers and the installation of service connection cables, including pre-payment meters and boards, as well as street lights,” he said.
“The project is due for completion by April 30 and has created 12 jobs for labourers from the community.”
Resident Zanyiwe Baba, 65, said: “We have been living in darkness here for decades and we have been victims of all sorts of crimes as a result.
“I was raped in 1993 by someone who jumped from a tree and after that experience, I never stopped knocking on the municipality’s door to electrify this area.
“Until now our cries fell on deaf ears.
“We fought, protested and burnt tyres to make a noise about our plight, not because we like to be disruptive but because we are living in pain,” she said.
The multimillion-rand contract was awarded to Designer Lighting, which has subcontracted Comretic for the six-month contract.
Comretic owner Pari Comerasamy could not confirm the value of the contract.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the project was among several rural road projects in the midland region of the metro, which were valued at R286.9m, for the financial year.
“This is part of the Thuma Mina Campaign launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year, which calls upon the government and ordinary South Africans to work together in delivering services faster.”
Pakati said they were doing their part to roll out service delivery and afford people basic services.
Electricity at last – 20 years later
Image: Mbali Tanana
Hope blossomed for scores of Kanana informal settlement residents after Buffalo City Metro finally rolled out their electrification project, after 20 years of protests and pleas from the community.
Yesterday, Buffalo City Mayor Xola Pakati, together with infrastructure portfolio head Ncedo Kumbaca, conducted a sod-turning ceremony in the area.
Kumbaca said his directorate would install electrical reticulation and 106 house service connections for phase one and two in Kanana.
“The work to be carried out includes the construction of low voltage and medium voltage overhead mains, including pole-mounted transformers and the installation of service connection cables, including pre-payment meters and boards, as well as street lights,” he said.
“The project is due for completion by April 30 and has created 12 jobs for labourers from the community.”
Resident Zanyiwe Baba, 65, said: “We have been living in darkness here for decades and we have been victims of all sorts of crimes as a result.
“I was raped in 1993 by someone who jumped from a tree and after that experience, I never stopped knocking on the municipality’s door to electrify this area.
“Until now our cries fell on deaf ears.
“We fought, protested and burnt tyres to make a noise about our plight, not because we like to be disruptive but because we are living in pain,” she said.
The multimillion-rand contract was awarded to Designer Lighting, which has subcontracted Comretic for the six-month contract.
Comretic owner Pari Comerasamy could not confirm the value of the contract.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the project was among several rural road projects in the midland region of the metro, which were valued at R286.9m, for the financial year.
“This is part of the Thuma Mina Campaign launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year, which calls upon the government and ordinary South Africans to work together in delivering services faster.”
Pakati said they were doing their part to roll out service delivery and afford people basic services.
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