The Democratic Alliance in Fetakgomo-Tubatse Municipality has requested the MMC of Roads Infrastructure and Technical Services, Halinda Mojalefa, provide reasons for the longstanding lack of electricity in Frans Park in ward 19.
Frans Park is situated 27 km outside Burgersfort in Motlolo village ward 19. The handover of Frans Park was 21 years ago and residents are still without electricity.
Year after year, the municipality fails to provide the Frans Park community with electricity and the upcoming 2025/2026 financial year seems to be no exception.
An oversight to the sub-station in Steelpoort revealed that a new substation was constructed to augment the load capacity, which renders the municipality’s explanation of a lack of capacity baseless.
A new housing development, adjacent to Frans Park has been electrified which caused immense frustration to residents.
Frustrations reached boiling point after residents realised that Mayor Edwin Maila’s commitment to electrify Frans Park is not guaranteed in the IDP/budget for the new financial year.
The electrification of Frans Park does not appear under the Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP) but under projects to be funded by the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) pending the successful application for funds.
The residents of Frans Park will use their votes during next year’s local government election against the ANC to indicate their deep dissatisfaction for being overlooked for so long.