Community leaders who claim to be members of the Lukau traditional council at Lwamondo say they are living in fear because of a community project that went wrong.

The members claim to have had a partnership with the local Thulamela municipality to have more than 200 households electrified. They say they had contributed an amount of R1 000 per household in 2009 and were promised that the electrification project would take only three months.

The leaders of the community who were responsible for the collection of the money say they are now under threat from the community, with people wanting their money back as there is no progress regarding the project.

Community leader Enos Mulaudzi said they were very excited when the project kicked off in 2009. “Many from our village found temporary employment, and we were very excited at the prospect of having electricity in our lifetime, but all this has proved to be dreams which never materialized,” he said.

He said the project was complete, but they were surprised that there is a delay in switching on the project. The delay is causing unrest in the community and the leadership has to keep on explaining to the community that it will happen. “Residents want their money back or have the electricity switched on, both of which we cannot do. We do not know what to tell them,” said Mulaudzi.

“It is high time that the municipality comes clean and clarifies what is happening regarding the project".

Mulaudzi said they were beginning to suspect that something did not go well with the finances of the project. He found it surprising that the contractor who had not finished his job has not been punished or penalised.

He said the community had been very excited, thinking that they would be watching the FIFA 2010 Soccer spectacle in the comfort of their homes but were greatly saddened that they had to go to relatives and friends to watch the games on a daily basis. “We know it is the responsibility of government to provide services like electricity and water, but we felt that, as residents, we could do something on our part to meet government halfway. That was our hard-earned money.

Mulaudzi said the threats were so serious that his house was stoned last week and others had also had threats made against them. “How long should we wait while our lives are under constant threat? We need delivery now or our money back,” he said. Thulamela municipality spokesperson Mr Nndwamato Tshiila said the real community leaders knew that the project could be switched on at any time. "There are individuals who, for reasons best known to them, are sowing seeds of division in the community. All our projects are on track," he said