Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
1 June 2022
The community of eMzinoni is baffled by the installation of solar panels in ward 22 and 23.
Only few households have the solar panels installed by Govan Mbeki Municipality and the community is now puzzled as to how the beneficiaries of the unknown project to them get selected, as the community was not informed about the roll out of the project.
With the ongoing electricity interruptions in the area this initiative would be of great help however the said solar systems are seen in few houses in some sections of eMzinoni.
Concerned community members have been asking around with no clarity given as to what was the criteria used to determine those who benefited, meanwhile the beneficiaries also seemed not interested in sharing how they were selected for the program.
Seskhona team made inquiries with Govan Mbeki Municipality and they responded as follows,
“Govan Mbeki municipality applied for 500 solar home system through the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to install solar systems and only received 372.
DMRE is currently the implementing agency for all solar home system and 372 households are now having solar system installed which are being installed in ward 22 and 23
This is a pilot project from GMM, and we will be monitoring it very closely including the impact it will have on the lives of community members,” said the Acting Head of Communications at GMM, Mr Lucky Mhlongo .
Mhlongo added further that if it the project is a success, the municipality will request more funding from the department to continue installing these solar systems with more focus on proclaimed areas, where people are currently waiting for the municipality to electrify their homes.
