HIDA remain in the dark

• Published date: 11 June 2021
• Author: Tauriq Hassen tauriq.hassen@inl.co.za
• Publication title: Sentinel News

According to the City of Cape Town, contractors were meant to provide electricity infills, but due to threats of violence and damages to property and persons, the work was brought to a halt.

Locals chose not to be named in fear of being victimised by the community, but many suggested that the issue delays the entire process.

One local said they had been waiting a while to receive the meters and remained patient, even though previous projects were also delayed.

“These people do not understand that if you are delaying this project, the next one and the next one will also be delayed. Some of them even get pleasure out of seeing maybe this one or that one without lights,” the resident said.

He suggested that the City consider rolling out the project on a much larger scale in order to cater for many more people at a time.

“If they can help more people, then maybe we won’t sit with these problems. But again, I will still say, the people must also understand how this process works, but they don’t and they just delay more and more,” he said.

Another local who will have to wait until the project goes live again called on more residents to help the process.

“The people must help with stuff like this, because now it’s going to cause more pressure on the City and the people living here. Now the people are fighting each other,” she said.

She suggested that these matters go through community structures, where an approach can be discussed.

“If it’s our own people who are involved, then maybe the people will not feel threatened at all and the work will get done. But if the project must stop every time, that means the next group will also have to wait,” she explained.

Two previous attempts in the past were also brought to a halt by residents living in the informal settlements on the outskirts of the area, who prevented the City’s contractors from installing the meters at several informal houses in HIDA, (“Protesters pull plug on electricity programme”, Sentinel News, December 13, 2019). The last effort by contractors to install the meters came in March last year, where contractors were also chased away, (“Electricity woes continue for HIDA”, Sentinel News, March 13, 2020).

Peace and Mediation Forum chairman, Jan Lewis, said he was aware of the project that was disrupted and said that locals behind it all were not properly informed about policies and procedures when it came to the City.

“These guys did not really understand the policies and procedures of the City, but the...