Langa Sports Field residents switched on

26 September 2025

The City’s Energy teams connected informal homes to the electricity grid in the Langa Sports Field Informal Settlement. The approximately R350 000 project is expected to be completed today, 26 September 2025.

‘Our city-wide electrification programme has gained significant momentum, providing quality electricity supply to backyarder and informal settlement residents where feasible. The electrification project for this settlement, located opposite the local sports field, started just last month and was completed in record time due to the support of the community. This project forms part of the City's commitment to providing reliable electricity services to all, restore human dignity and improve quality of life.

‘Electrifying informal settlements is about more than providing energy to homes, it’s about safer streets, brighter futures, and opportunities for every resident. This is why we have committed a substantial budget of over R21,4 million in the current financial year for electrification projects across the metro. These projects are a priority for the City as every home we connect safely to the formal grid is less susceptible to the risk of fires triggered by illegal connections, and the use of candles and fossil fuels.

‘In addition to the electricity connections, beneficiaries will also receive an allocation of up to 60 units of free basic electricity (FBE) on the City’s subsidised Lifeline Tariff. In older existing settlements in City-supplied areas and on City-owned land, where it has been feasible to do so, almost 100% of informal settlements are electrified. The successful completion of this project is thanks to a joint effort from the City, residents in the area and the hardworking teams who worked to connect the beneficiaries. This is how the City shows that it cares, providing dignified basic services to the most vulnerable,’ said the Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Alderman Xanthea Limberg.

The Municipal Finance Management Act determines that public money cannot be used for the enhancing of private property and the City can only assist backyarders and informal settlement dwellers residing on City-owned property and where site conditions allow for this. The City 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, where applicable.

Caption 1: Ward Cllr Lwazi Phakade, Ald Limberg and resident Nondumiso Maholwana
Caption 2: Ald Limberg, resident Nontombi Ndiyane and Ward Cllr Lwazi Phakade

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office