Rand West Member of the Mayoral Committee for Water, Sanitation and Energy, Dumile Sithole, says plans for the electrification of all informal settlements in Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg, are at an advanced stage.
He was addressing a meeting with the Bekkersdal community leaders at the Rand West Municipal offices in Westonaria on Wednesday.
Hundreds of disgruntled residents took to the streets earlier on Wednesday to demand that electricity be installed in all informal settlements. They blockaded all routes leading in and out of the township and disrupted schooling.
Hundreds of Bekkersdal residents have embarked on a march to the RandWest Municipal offices in Westonaria. #bekkersdalprotest #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/CFq9ksWCgs
— Sashin Naidoo (@Sashinn007) April 10, 2019
The R28 outside Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg has been completely blockaded by a large group of protestors.#bekkersdalprotest #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/Zl6abvhaQo
— Sashin Naidoo (@Sashinn007) April 10, 2019
MMC Sithole says the informal settlements will soon be electrified.
“What has actually happened now is that the contractor has established site and materials are being delivered on site and a site camp has been established and a temporary road has also been built just for access. And now it is just for us to finalise with Eskom and hit the ground running and that can happen anytime as we are speaking to you.”
