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Kabah informal settlement residents to be connected to the power grid

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The electrification of more than 40 informal houses in Kabah informal settlement has started.
This comes after the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality earlier this year called on ward councillors to identify informal settlements where residents were not stealing electricity through illegal electricity connections.

Through this process, the Kabah informal settlement was identified and the City engaged with the community, handed over rocket stoves in July and made a commitment to electrify their homes.
NMBM Electricity and Energy, Cllr Lance Grootboom said the commencement of the project this week was paving a better life for the 41 families that are set to connect on the grid.

“We are pleased to be with this community today as the residents of this informal settlement have cooperated by making sure that they don’t tamper illegally with electricity. This is the only informal settlement in Nelson Mandela Bay where there are no illegal connections and today, we thank them for being good ambassadors and making sure they don’t connect illegally to the grid.”

“This community has endured winter and festive seasons without electricity supply, and we are really pushing that this year they enjoy their festive season differently. Materials were delivered yesterday; work has commenced and we are quite thrilled. During our education programme last week, we also introduced the contractor to the residents and they welcomed the workers and committed that they will protect the project as we all have an interest to see it succeed,” MMC Grootboom said.

Led by Ward 48 Councillor, Franay van der Linde, the residents said they would safeguard the material and workers on site.

Resident Winston Sass said: “Living in an area that does not have electricity has been difficult for me especially since I live with a disability. But we thank God for the officials that listened. We were patient and did not go to the extra extent and do illegal connections. We knew that if we did that, it would delay us getting electrification, fortunate for us we all listened and now we will soon enjoy this basic human right without putting anyone’s life in danger.”
The work is scheduled for completion before the end of the year.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.