'We will mobilise again': Itireleng residents plead for access to electricity
Picture: Chelsea Ntuli Picture: Chelsea Ntuli
Pretoria - Residents of Itireleng informal settlement in Laudium marched to the Tshwane City house on Monday morning to raise concerns about illegal connections of electricity and service delivery.
Community leader Archie Mathebe said the Mayor previously promised residents that the community would have access to electricity.
“The city has been failing us for a period of 30 years in terms of services. Our main issue is that we want access to electricity in the area,” he said.
Community members marched to City House in Madiba street in the CBD and demanded to see the Tshwane Mayor. They wanted to hand over the memorandum to him.
The small crowd of less than a 100 people were escorted by Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) officers.
Acting City Manager Moeketsi Ntsimane received the memorandum in concern and said that he will review it and get back to the members of Itireleng community after 7 days.
“The memorandum will be looked into and thoroughly revised and after a number of 7 days I will get back to you to address a way forward regarding this matter,” he said.
Mathebe said sometimes they could go without electricity for about 3 months.
He also said they had set up several meetings with MMC of Utility Services Abel Tau however he never patched to any of the meetings.
“We have children that have to go to school and supposed to study, they must take us seriously because if they still won't do it, we will still mobilise again and come back again,” he said.
Mathebe said the Mayor of Tshwane Stephen Mokgalapa previously committed himself that by the 1st of August the area would have electricity but that has not happened yet.
He said Ntsimane would also inform them about who the contractor to light up the area would be.
He mentioned other concerns about the lack of service delivery and how it affected their lives.
“We have got unaccessed roads where ambulances cant even reach some parts of the place. We are sick and tired of the DA administration because they are not giving us services,” he said.
Soon afterwards the crowd went back to Itireleng where they said they would discuss a way forward if Ntsimane does not attend the memorandum.