NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                3 August 2002

NEW R12 MILLION ELECTRICITY DEPOT AND SWITCHING STATION IN GUGULETU ENSURES GREATER SERVICE EQUITY FOR CITY

Strong support from the people of Guguletu marked the official opening of one of the most community-friendly electricity depots in the Western Cape by the City of Cape Town's Executive Committee member for Trading Services, Councillor David Erleigh.

The opening celebration was enjoyed with the full involvement and support of the community, who provided the catering and lively entertainment by local musicians such as the Mpho and Uvimba Band, the Sakhisizwe Sethu Choir and the Gaudii Shorale Dancers.

A cow was slaughtered the day before the event and a sit-down luncheon was served to 430 invited guests including councillors, members of Parliament, community leaders, officials and the media.

The R12 million Guguletu Service Centre - a high voltage switching station and customer service depot - incorporates kiosks for informal traders and will serve as an information centre for the areas of Guguletu, Nyanga, Philippi West, Brown's Farm and Weltevreden Valley North as well as the informal settlement areas of KTC, Lusaka, Barcelona, Europe, Kanana and Newrest where the city's electrification programme is underway.

Councillor Erleigh said the depot formed part of the Wetton-Philippi-Lansdowne corridor that has been identified for vigorous economic development.

"It is strategically placed so that it can serve a dual function as catalyst for business development and the customer service function of handling applications for new electricity connections, the transfer of electricity supplies, account queries and technical advice on the supply and safe use of electricity," he said.

"Our intention is to stimulate economic advancement while providing the community with an easily accessible depot that can answer all their queries about electrification."

He said the kiosks on the premises were intended as a tool to evolve new entrepreneurs by moving informal traders off the street into their own formal premises.

"The kiosks are a stepping stone in the process of development and will be augmented by business skills training and other support mechanisms," said Councillor Erleigh.

"They will also reduce the disparity in the availability of economic infrastructure and opportunity between established and disadvantaged areas."

Network operations on site and the maintenance of networks will ensure a high quality electricity supply to all customers. The service centre will also handle the electrification of informal settlements, fault response, street lighting and high mast maintenance.

"The centre will play a big part in the upgrading of the surrounding areas as the city reaches out to all communities with its electrification programme," said Councillor Erleigh.

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