Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Cllr Claudie Greenwood-Selby.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Madibeng Local Municipality notes that the community of Refentse (Afsaal) in Hartbeespoort barricaded the R514 road between Hartbeespoort and Pretoria in protest for the second time due to being without electricity since the previous Saturday.
This is the result of the electrical infrastructure being unable to keep up with the demand, mainly due to illegal electricity connections.
This poses significant challenges for the rest of the community, particularly the Agricultural Holdings, which are in desperate need of the road.
The municipality signed off a high court order for Xanadu HOA earlier this year, to close the only viable alternative gravel road. Due to residents not having access to a viable road, this continues to pose a threat to A/H residents in case of an emergency.
DA Councillors have raised this issue with the municipality on several occasions, including in a report to the Executive Mayor, Cllr Douglas Maimane, and have yet to receive a response.
The DA will write a letter to the Acting Municipal Manager, Motlalekgomo Mmope, to enquire where the municipality will get the funds to upgrade infrastructure to provide more electricity for communities.
Should the decision to increase Refentse’s capacity be made, it has become abundantly clear that the municipality only provides short-term solutions to long-term problems. The municipality cannot subsidize the costs of illegal electricity connections. Illegal electricity connections are a crime that must be prosecuted.
The DA will write to the Mayor and Municipal Manager, Motlalekgomo Mmope, insisting on a report for the next Council Meeting on a plan of action to address the protests and necessary steps to be taken against illegal electricity connections, as well as to provide an alternative road to the community in the event of protests.
The DA will continue to put pressure on the municipality to start enforcing the rule of law in order to address these crimes in the community.