13 April 2004 Press Release MAYOR MASONDO LIGHTS UP THE SOUTH The Mayor of Johannesburg, Councillor Amos Masondo will today (13 April) visit the community of Devland, south of Johannesburg, where a major electrification project is nearing completion. City Power has just completed the electrification of 1 600 sites in Devland while a further 2 800 households will receive power by the end of June. The South of Johannesburg is benefiting from an intensive drive by the City to improve the quality of service delivery in the area. "Electricity is one of the areas that we have been focusing on but we are also upgrading service delivery in the provision of water and sanitation, housing and refuse removal," says Councillor Brian Hlongwa, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Municipal Services. According to Silas Zimu, vice-president at City Power more than 11 000 stands in the south will have received electricity connections by the end of June 2004. These include: The 4 400 stands in Devland of which 1 600 have already been completed. 1 500 connections in Vlakfontein Proper where the electricity poles were recently erected. 4 200 stands in Vlakfontein Extensions 1, 2, 3 and 4. The normalisation of electricity supply and the installations of meters to 1 900 stands in Lawley. Councillor Hlongwa says the city is making significant progress in its commitment to bring quality, affordable services to the people of Johannesburg. This includes the provision of electricity to all communities, including informal settlements. The allocation of free 50kW of power per month to low income residents means that electricity, a basic commodity is now affordable to all. "Electricity is a prerequisite for social and economic development," says Councillor Hlongwa. "It improves the quality in the delivery of other services, including health, education and safety and security. "It is having a major impact on the lives of people of Johannesburg who have not been connected to the power grid in the past," says Councillor Hlongwa. Ends Nthatisi Modingoane Media Liaison Officer CITY OF JOHANNESBURG Tel: (011) 407 7354 Fax: 403 3494 Cell: 082 467 9228 E-mail: nthatisem@joburg.org.za