Phaphamani and Zolani residents who spent three weeks in October picketing outside the Grahamstown City Hall may soon have something to show for their efforts.
Phaphamani and Zolani residents who spent three weeks in October picketing outside the Grahamstown City Hall may soon have something to show for their efforts.
The municipality recently invited tenders for the electrification of Zolani and other infill areas, or informal settlements, such as the nearby N street, following their formalisation – a town-planning process required before any development can take place and municipal services provided.
According to Makana deputy director of technical services, Mayenzeke Siteto, the municipality has received funding from the Department of Minerals and Energy for the electrification of informal or unproclaimed areas, which include N Street, Zolani and Phaphamani.
"Tendering and the appointment of service providers by the adjudication committee is part of the Municipal Supply Chain Procurement processes as per Municipal Financial Management Act," Siteto said. He said Zolani, Phaphamani and N street were located within the municipal supply area and could hence be connected to the municipal electrical network, as were Vergenoeg and Hoegenoeg settlements.
Other infill areas also targeted to receive electricity are located in areas connected to the Eskom network, "as per apartheid regime planning where these imbalances are being dealt with at relevant forums," Siteto said. He said the municipality had appointed an Eskom consultant to initiate the project. "If Eskom says it's okay, the consultant will compile a tender document and the municipality will enter into a tender procument," Siteto said.
R1 million has been budgeted for the electrification of J street near Fingo Village; M and K Street near Tantyi; and upper and lower Mnandi near Joza as well as Eluxolweni. Funding is from the municipality's 2010/11 budget.
