Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato says Eskom's inability to electrify the informal areas of Khayelitsha is the spark that ignited service delivery protests earlier this month.
Plato believes Eskom's removal of illegal electricity connections was the cause of the outrage of hundreds of people who did not understand that the city was unable to provide them with electrical connections.
"If Eskom hadn't removed those connections, my take is that we wouldn't have seen such uprisings," Plato told his mayoral committee on Tuesday.
The City of Cape Town has about 680 000 electricity customers and Eskom has 137 000. Many informal parts of the city not yet electrified fall within Eskom's supply area.
On Tuesday the committee agreed to support Eskom in its application to the Department of Minerals and Energy for finance through the Integrated National Electrification Programme, to electrify more than 50 000 dwellings, including all informal settlements in Khayelitsha.
In a report to the committee, the city notes: "Over the last decade the city made steady progress with the electrification of the informal dwellings within its licensed area of supply.
"However, progress in the Eskom-licensed area of supply has been less than satisfactory."
As the service authority for the distribution of electricity, the council is required to formally approve the electrification of informal settlements in the Eskom-licensed area of supply.
The city has compiled a list of settlements approved for up-grade, including 7 905 houses in Monwabisi Park, 4 929 houses in Silvertown, more than 2 000 houses in Du Noon, as well as homes in Crossroads, Phola Park and Wag 'n Bietjie.
Plato said that because most informal settlements were in flood-prone areas, and at least 1 500 Khayelitsha shacks were on the road reserve, Eskom would be defying policy if it electrified the areas. It was largely those living in the road reserves who had "run amok" in protest over service delivery.
"This is the difficulty the city is facing. It is a dramatic service-delivery issue that the City of Cape Town has no control over. Other political departments must take note of what's happening," said Plato.
On earlier claims by Helen Zille that the uprisings were politically motivated, Plato said today that he was only focusing on service delivery issues of the affected communities.
"I will leave the political stuff for other people," he said.
Plato is due to meet Khayelitsha residents tonight.
Committee member for utilities Clive Justus said that in its response to the National Energy Regulator (Nersa) on Eskom's application for a 34 percent electricity tariff increase, the city would ask for authority to provide electricity in some of the areas under Eskom's control.
Eskom spokesperson Fani Zulu said the power utility had been compelled to disconnect illegal connections, or face liability for injury.
He said Eskom relied on government funding to electrify the areas, and for municipalities to identify them.
- Cape Argus
Plato believes Eskom's removal of illegal electricity connections was the cause of the outrage of hundreds of people who did not understand that the city was unable to provide them with electrical connections.
"If Eskom hadn't removed those connections, my take is that we wouldn't have seen such uprisings," Plato told his mayoral committee on Tuesday.
| 'This is the difficulty the city is facing' |
On Tuesday the committee agreed to support Eskom in its application to the Department of Minerals and Energy for finance through the Integrated National Electrification Programme, to electrify more than 50 000 dwellings, including all informal settlements in Khayelitsha.
In a report to the committee, the city notes: "Over the last decade the city made steady progress with the electrification of the informal dwellings within its licensed area of supply.
"However, progress in the Eskom-licensed area of supply has been less than satisfactory."
As the service authority for the distribution of electricity, the council is required to formally approve the electrification of informal settlements in the Eskom-licensed area of supply.
The city has compiled a list of settlements approved for up-grade, including 7 905 houses in Monwabisi Park, 4 929 houses in Silvertown, more than 2 000 houses in Du Noon, as well as homes in Crossroads, Phola Park and Wag 'n Bietjie.
Plato said that because most informal settlements were in flood-prone areas, and at least 1 500 Khayelitsha shacks were on the road reserve, Eskom would be defying policy if it electrified the areas. It was largely those living in the road reserves who had "run amok" in protest over service delivery.
"This is the difficulty the city is facing. It is a dramatic service-delivery issue that the City of Cape Town has no control over. Other political departments must take note of what's happening," said Plato.
On earlier claims by Helen Zille that the uprisings were politically motivated, Plato said today that he was only focusing on service delivery issues of the affected communities.
"I will leave the political stuff for other people," he said.
Plato is due to meet Khayelitsha residents tonight.
Committee member for utilities Clive Justus said that in its response to the National Energy Regulator (Nersa) on Eskom's application for a 34 percent electricity tariff increase, the city would ask for authority to provide electricity in some of the areas under Eskom's control.
Eskom spokesperson Fani Zulu said the power utility had been compelled to disconnect illegal connections, or face liability for injury.
He said Eskom relied on government funding to electrify the areas, and for municipalities to identify them.
- Cape Argus
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