The MEC for the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has brought renewed hope to the people of Vulindlela under the Msunduzi Local Municipality, following a prolonged two-year period without electricity.
Speaking during a community engagement session in Vulindlela, MEC Buthelezi announced that Eskom will, starting on Monday, begin reinstalling and replacing a total of 17 transformers that had failed due to persistent overloading and illegal connections. The replacement programme is expected to cost more than R3 million.
“This intervention is not just about restoring electricity; it is about restoring dignity to our people,” said MEC Buthelezi. “The right to access electricity was one of the fundamental freedoms fought for during the liberation struggle. Our communities must be able to cook with dignity, live safely, and participate fully in economic life. As the government led by Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, we believe our people must see change with their own eyes.”
MEC Buthelezi emphasised that illegal connections and cable theft—often perpetrated by individuals within the community or in collaboration with criminal syndicates—have contributed significantly to the crisis. Eskom currently supplies Wards 3, 5, 6, 7 and 39, while the municipality supplies Wards 1, 2 and 40. Of the 18,000 households receiving municipal electricity, fewer than 200 were paying for the service, creating unsustainable pressure on the system.
Eskom representative Ms Nozipho Mpanza explained that transformer failures were largely due to excessive loads caused by illegal connections. “Those who buy electricity use it responsibly and sparingly, but those who do not pay tend to overload the system. Ultimately, the entire community suffers when the transformer exceeds its designed capacity and blows,” she said.
MEC Buthelezi encouraged residents to register properly with Eskom and the municipality, particularly households that qualify for indigent support, including the unemployed and the elderly. He also announced that residents who previously connected illegally will be granted amnesty as the electricity restoration programme begins, giving them a chance to start afresh under lawful and safe conditions.
“Today, we are giving people an opportunity to rebuild trust and work together. The restoration of electricity is now in your hands—use it wisely, protect infrastructure, and cooperate with authorities,” MEC Buthelezi urged.
The community expressed gratitude for the MEC’s swift intervention, which has finally paved the way for the return of electricity after years of hardship.
Ends.
Issued by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs