Nellmapius extension 22 residents demanding electricity for everyone
Lost ID copies, documents and some residents even being “deceased according to the system” meant many were without power.
Some residents of Nellmapius extension 22 found themselves in the dark this week after new electricity boxes were installed in their RDP houses.
Lost ID copies, documents and some residents even being “deceased according to the system” meant many were without power.
The Tshwane metro said they were, however, not made aware of any outages.
“We are not aware of any electricity complaints from Nellmapius extension 22,” said metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo.
“We are busy with a project of electrifying RDP houses in that area. The project is currently underway and aims to electrify 1 330 RDP houses.
“To date, 327 RDP houses have been connected to the grid.”
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Mashigo said the project was planned to be completed by end of December this year.
According to residents, however, there were indeed houses that found themselves in the dark.
One such resident, Peterson Mashele (70), said it was painful not to have electricity while your neighbours have lights.
“I don’t have electricity to my RDP house because according to the system belonging to the contractor tasked with installing electricity meter boxes, I am deceased,” said Mashele.
Mashele said he was first told that his ID copies were lost and he should make copies and they will install electricity for him.
Later, he was told an electricity meter box to his house could not be installed “because he was dead according to their system”.
“I am shocked that their system would say this. According to the home affairs department, I am still alive. I even still get my monthly social grant money from Sassa without problems.”
Mashele blamed corrupt officials.
“If they were doing their job in the first place, none of this could have happened.”
Another resident, Donald Makena, said he doesn’t have electricity because his ID copies were lost.
“I was told to bring new copies around February this year and I am still waiting for electricity to be installed at my house.
“I fear that the contractor has already moved on to other houses installing electricity meter boxes and might not come back once the contract is finished,” said Makena.
“I have handed in new ID copies. What is the delay now?”
Makena said he wanted electricity like his neighbours and couldn’t afford to wait another five years for electricity.
He said he fought for the RDP houses in 2011.
When they finally received the house in 2016, he thought his problems were over but he had to wait for more than five years waiting for electricity to be installed.
“We want electricity like everyone else in Nellmapius. Winter is coming and I can’t afford to freeze again in the cold,” said Makena.
Other residents also said they were excited back in 2016 when the metro handed them their houses, but they have been waiting for electricity ever since.
The residents said it was “about time” that Tshwane metro provide electricity as promised “before things get out of hand.
They vowed that should their neighbours not have electricity within five days “all hell will break loose”, threatening to take the matter to the streets.
Community liaison officer, Pretty Dhlomo, meanwhile said there was a backlog of electricity meter boxes.
She further said there was a lot of issues regarding the installation of electricity meter boxes.
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Dhlomo added another issue was a shortage of documentation and, when received, they have to go through the process again of capturing, vetting and metering.
“We have issues of families fighting for ownership of the house after the rightful owner has passed on,” Dhlomo said.
“A letter of authority from the Master of the High Court is needed to speed up the process and siblings are struggling to give us that letter,” said Dhlomo.
She added another delay was the issue of “wrong” house beneficiaries because of corruption.
“I am not aware of people declared dead.”
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