By Dewald Hattingh – DA Councillor Mantsopa Municipality
Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Dewald Hattingh and Sesotho by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng
The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the Mantsopa Municipality to immediately implement the council resolution for a qualified electrician to be based in Excelsior and Tweespruit. This urgent step is critical to address the prolonged electricity outages affecting residents due to outdated and poorly maintained infrastructure.
Excelsior’s electrical system suffers frequent, extended outages during weather events like strong winds and thunderstorms, worsened by the infrastructure’s deteriorating state. Over the past month, the town has experienced three separate power outages, each lasting up to 36 hours. These repeated blackouts not only disrupt daily life but also threaten the local economy, as businesses and residents are forced to contend with ongoing instability.
At present, there is no electrician based in either Excelsior or Tweespruit, despite the council’s resolution to assign one locally to improve response times and reduce costs. Instead, each repair requires an electrician to travel from Ladybrand, causing further delays and driving up expenses. Additionally, the poor road conditions lead to vehicle damage, which further hampers the municipality’s ability to provide timely service.
The DA will continue to apply pressure on the Mantsopa Municipality to enforce the existing council resolution. By implementing this policy, response times can be significantly reduced, saving valuable resources and preventing the community from enduring further disruptions to their power supply.