Fed-up Zenzele residents protest over lack of electricity

Zenzele

Disgruntled residents of Zenzele Village outside Groblersdal in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality (EMLM) Ward 7 have on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 October, took to the streets to vent their anger over lack of electricity in the area.

The angry protesters blockaded the busiest D856 Road that links Moteti and Dennilton with burning tyres, stones, tree logs and rubble, demanding to be addressed by EMLM Mayor Cllr David Tladi over lack of electricity which they say they have been complaining about for the past two decades.

Despite being established about 30 years ago, Zenzele is still a private land owned by the Masoga, Nonyane and Nyembe families, having experiencing serious lack of government services such as drinking water, proper internal roads standard and other basic community needs.

Community leader, Simon Thipe, said they were frustrated because they could not receive any government service as they are told the village is still privately owned.

“The electricity issue is long-overdue now, for the past 25 years we have been talking to the municipality to formalise the land so that we can get services but our desperate pleas are falling on deaf ears. We demand answers from the mayor and we demand them now,” he said.

Thipe added that on 1 August 2023, a meeting was convened at EMLM Municipal Chamber in Groblersdal between Tladi, EMLM Speaker, EMLM Town Planner, Zenzele community leaders and land owners where the mayor committed to send officials to determine the value of Zenzele for the electrification project to commence within four weeks.

“Nothing happened since the meeting; they failed to honour their promise. We are protesting because we are sick and tired of the lies. We have been told lies for the past twenty years. Protesting is the only way we can get the attention of the municipality,” he said.

EMLM Spokesperson, Simon Makua, said services could not go to the village because it is an informal settlement located on three privately owned farm portions.

“The settlement has been without basic services for almost two and half decades, however, the council approved in favour of sourcing assistance from Cooperative Governance Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) in conjunction with the Housing Development Agency, to help in terms of acquiring the land,” he said.

Makua indicated that the government prepared a pre-acquisition report which recommended positively towards possible acquisition of land parcels at hand as they were perceived to be habitable.

“These government agencies had to determine the recent market value of properties at hand before they engage in negotiations with private owners. The determined market value will serve as point of reference during negotiations proceedings. For a milestone to happen, internal supply chain processes will then need to unfold so that the property appraisers may then be appointed to aid the course,” he said.

Makua indicated that the local authorities have consulted their contracted property appraisers as to whether will they be in a position to help.

“The appraisers responded positively and a request for a quotation to value three privately owned farm portions which has been forwarded to the municipality’s contracted service provider. The whole process was done on the 13th October 2023. To date, the local authority still awaits a quotation to come through,” he said.