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R20m to electrify four 'troublesome villages'

Michael Sakuneka

Michael Sakuneka

The continuous protests by villagers over lack of electricity have prompted the Tzaneen municipality to allocate R20million to deal with the crisis in four villages situated east of Tzaneen.

The money will be used to electrify about 3000 households in four villages. This will end years of tension between the municipality and villagers who frequently march to demand electrification of their areas.

The programme will benefit the following villages: Mafarana, Ntsako, Lefara, and Mugwazeni.

The people from the four villages have held sporadic protest marches since 2006 in a bid to force the municipality to electrify their areas.

Tzaneen municipal manager, Mabakane Mangena, said this project will end protests in which angry residents used to blockade the municipal offices demanding electrification of their areas.

"This will boost the economies of the four villages as it will create hundreds of casual employment opportunities for local people," he said.

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