Zenzele electrification debacle elevated to the presidency

ZENZELE – The Bolsheviks Party of South Africa (BPSA), an opposition in Sekhukhune District Municipality has lodged a complaint with the office of the presidency to attend to the problem of lack of electricity at Zenzele settlement in Moutse outside Groblersdal.

The area has been without electricity for decades after land ownership issues that have seen the residents there raising concerns over the situation.

About two weeks ago, the paper ran the story on the predicament of the people of Zenzele as they complaint the government drag feet in attending to the matter.

Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality Public Relations and Communications Manager, Simon Makua said at the time that there was an electrification project for the area, which saw poles installed, but the project was halted by the owners of the land on which Zenzele settlement was.

Makua said the local municipality could not continue with the project of electrification of the area because there was a dispute over its ownership.

Seun Mogotji, BPSA leader, said the settlement in Moutse outside Groblersdal, which is made up of R640 households, an old age home and businesses, had been without electricity for over two decades.

Mogotji said the land owners obtained a court order to stop the electrification of the area after they set an unreasonable price to have it electrified.

“This has led to residents not having electricity and other services with the issue being most troubling in the area. Nothing tangible has been received from government sectors that have been approached so far,” said Mogotji.

Mogotji said the presidency, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs together with the Department of Land Affairs were requested on behalf of the residents of Zenzele to intervene and see to it that the matter, which has been long overdue, was addressed and the people of Zenzele got services from government.