The DA raises serious concern as residents of Embalenhle, in Govan Mbeki Local Municipality (GMM), are still without electricity for weeks during this cold winter.
In 2019, GMM started with some relief efforts for parts of Embalenhle with the installation of poles from Bracken mine. In 2022 a 20 Megavolt Ampere (20MVA) mobile transformer was commissioned, and the Executive Mayor Nhlakanipho Zuma assured the Embalenhle residents that the electricity problem is resolved. However, it is not even a year and the residents of Embalenhle find themselves in the same situation as before.
Compounding the crisis is the excessive electricity losses incurred. The corrective action steps sent to the Provincial Treasury to improve revenue collection has proven unsuccessful as the municipality is failing to act decisively in dealing with the electricity losses.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been insisting to the municipality to install electrical meters where there are no meters. The DA has been insistent that the municipality install electricity meters in areas where revenue collection is low. Instead, the municipality opted to replace working meters with new meters in areas where people are currently buying electricity. This is just another example of wasteful expenditure and lining the pockets of those tendering for these projects.
GMM will not be able to deal with the electricity problem in this municipality as long as the ANC remains in government.
The DA will continue being an effective opposition party and get things done where we govern.