By Malikhanye Mankayi and Sibabalwe Tame
Residents of the informal settlement, eNkanini extension, in Makhanda, are raising serious concerns after enduring a year-long electricity outage, despite having electricity boxes installed in their Wendy houses, provided through a partnership between the Department of Human Settlements and Makana Municipality.
These temporary shelters, commonly known as Wendy houses, were intended to offer safe accommodation for families previously living in informal settlements. But for many residents, the lack of electricity has rendered these homes nearly uninhabitable.
Community members say they feel forgotten by authorities, with no clear communication from either the Municipality or Eskom about when electricity will finally be connected. The absence of power impacts their daily life. Residents struggle to cook, preserve food, or even charge their phones.
Maevery Dranat, a resident who uses a wheelchair, described how the outage has affected his quality of life, “I got the box installed inside my house, but there’s no power. I went to Eskom and was referred to Makana Municipality and my ward councillor, Gcobisa Mane. She told me to wait until the roads are done. But I’ve been waiting for a year. I can’t even keep groceries; the food gets spoiled. I have to ask my neighbours just to charge my phone. Imagine eating in the dark. How can I enjoy food like that?”
Another resident, Nopiki Mafanga, lost her belongings in a shack fire and applied for a Wendy house through a former ward committee member, “Eskom later told me I had to pay R1,850 for the installation of my electricity box. I don’t work and have no money. Since I moved into this Wendy house, I’ve received no communication from the municipality. I can’t cook anything that needs electricity,” she said.
Eighty-six-year-old Alabath Brown also shared his frustration. As a pensioner, he says living without electricity is unbearable, “I was staying in a shack that wasn’t good for my health. I applied through the Democratic Alliance for a Wendy house. It’s been very difficult to live like this. I take medication that needs to be taken with food, but I can’t cook without electricity. I just wish the municipality could either give us power or tell us what steps we need to take.”
Despite several attempts, Grocott’s Mail received no official comment from Makana Municipality. Calls to the municipal communications office went unanswered, and emails were not returned at the time of publication.
