Electricity changes lives

Local government

Zibuyisile Ngcobo (65) of Sonkombo in the town of Ndwedwe, KwaZulu-Natal, thought she would never have access to electricity.

“I was getting worried that I might die without ever having electricity in my home, but the government came through for me and my family and we can now experience the convenience of modern life.

“The days when we had to walk into the forest in search for firewood are a thing of the past and our children can now study in the safety of electric lights,” she said.

Another beneficiary Nontshisekelo Bhengu (45) says they used to watch TV only when they visited relatives in urban areas.

“We can now watch TV in our own homes. We used to spend R42 for transport just to charge our phones in Verulam. Having our electricity is a huge relief for us. We thank the government for providing us,” she said.

Addressing community members MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube urged citizens to report suspected electricity theft which affects government’s ability to provide electricity to other communities.

“As a community you now have the responsibility of ensuring that you use electricity wisely and that no one makes any illegal connection or tries to bypass the meters because the money you pay goes towards ensuring that Eskom continues to produce electricity,” said MEC Dube-Ncube.

Member of the Provincial Legislature, Sihle Zikalala, who is from Ndwendwe, thanked the local leadership for ensuring that the area has access to electricity and reminded the community of the dangers of illegal electricity connections.