The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy and Climate Change, Councillor Phindile Maxiti, together with residents and dignitaries switched on the electricity to 48 households in the Smallville informal settlement in Schaapkraal Philippi. This settlement is located on privately-owned land. Once the owner’s permission was granted to the City and all due process followed, City officials started with the electrification project in March 2021.
On Wednesday 5 May 2021, Councillor Maxiti, dignitaries and the residents of the Smallville informal settlement celebrated when the 48 homes were switched on for the first time. The project was completed between 25 March and 30 April 2021 and R800 000 was spent to provide the households with electricity.
‘Our teams have worked extremely hard over the recent months to complete this electrification project ahead of schedule. In City-supplied areas and where property owners have granted the City permission to install services, almost all of the older informal settlements in the metro have been connected to electricity, where it has been possible to do so.
‘We celebrate with the residents and we remain committed to delivering services to our residents. This project will enhance living conditions especially ahead of the coming winter months. We thank the community for their patience while we completed this project and we urge residents to help us protect infrastructure by reporting electricity theft, vandalism and illegal connections to the City or to the South African Police Service,’ said Councillor Maxiti.