Cape Town: The Energy Directorate team of the City of Cape Town has completed R2.5 million electrification project in the Lotus Park informal settlement in Gugulethu. Under this project 193 homes were connected to the grid.
The upgrades made under the project to the electricity network were completed to strengthen the community’s electricity grid.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Energy – Alderman Xanthea Limberg stated that the City of Cape Town teams have successfully completed the electricity project in Lotus Park.
The project included the upgrading of backbone infrastructure, including the mini substation to accommodate the additional connections. It also included the installation of new low voltage cables, the installation of electricity poles and advanced LED retrofitted streetlights for improved area visibility and safety.
In addition, each household is connected using standard connection infrastructure, including distribution boards and prepaid electricity meters. Significantly, the electrification projects regularise beneficiaries as formal City customers, and also enables residents to access subsidised services, including the provision of up to 60 units of Free Basic Electricity (FBE).
According to Limberg, by June 2026, the teams successfully installed 1,814 connections in areas across the metro. They will continue to install electricity connections and upgrade areas where it is feasible to do so.
The Energy Directorate thanked the residents of Lotus Park and the greater Gugulethu community for their support, while they completed this project.
About Electrification Projects in Informal Settlements Cape Town
The rollout of electricity services is subjected to land ownership and service supply arrangements. This includes areas on City-owned land that are supplied with City electricity, as well as privately owned land where permission has been granted by the relevant landowner.
The City of Cape Town provides a safe and reliable level of service, ensuring access and opportunity for all where feasible, and within the constraints of its available resources.
The Municipal Finance Management Act determines that public money cannot be used for enhancing private property. The City of Cape Town can only assist informal settlement residents and backyarders residing on City-owned property and where site conditions allow.
City of Cape Town continues to seek ways to invest greater resources in driving electrification projects for backyarders and residents in informal settlements, where feasible and also with Eskom, wherever applicable.