LEBOGANG SEALE
A SOWETO councillor’s pre-local government election promises might have come back to haunt him, at least according to residents in his ward.
Yesterday, a group from Doornkop Block 9, near Dobsonville, protested over the lack of electricity in their area.
They accused their local councillor, Mandla Zulu, of having made empty promises to install electricity just to garner votes.
And they chased away a local ANC chairman who tried to address them.
“We want Julius Malema. He is a true leader because he fights for us, the poor. He speaks the language we understand,” said Mcebisi Bevile, a community leader.
Their area, which falls under Doornkop’s ward 50, has not had electricity since they moved into the RDP houses in October 2009.
The residents, mostly elderly women, decried the dangers posed by candles, paraffin and gas stoves, and generators.
Some paraded these items to demonstrate their plight as they toyi-toyied through the streets. Many complained their children have had be treated in hospital for paraffin inhalation.
According to another community leader, Nombulelo Thwala, the area had been incorporated into plans to install electricity between the neighbouring Zola and Green Village townships before the end of July.
“After the elections, our councillor told us the budget was there, but that there were technical problems.”
Worried, Thwala and other leaders approached the local Eskom office.
“We were surprised when the area manager told us our place was not on the list of areas on the waiting list (for electricity installation). It’s clear the councillor lied to us for our votes,” she said.
The residents’ efforts to seek assistance from the City of Joburg, she added, had not borne any results.
“We wrote a petition to the City of Joburg. They promised to get back to us, but we are tired of waiting now,” said Thwala.
Zulu denied he had promised electricity for the area.
He said he had referred the matter to the City of Joburg and was awaiting a response.