Jobless people in the Thulamela Municipality are bracing themselves for jobs after Premier Cassel Mathale had launched a R90-million electrification project and instructed that local people must not be ignored during the project.

The launch took place at Malamulele Stadium on Friday.

The launch comes after a R90-million grant was given to Thulamela Municipality by the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

Mathale hailed the municipality for expediting the electrification of villages. “The project means that the municipality was able to bring services to the people earlier than expected. This is out of respect for our people, whose patience is not endless,” said Mathale.

He said the government had been in power for a long time and was learning from its mistakes. He warned that the municipality had to make sure that this project provided jobs and put food on tables for many families.

He warned Mayor Mahosi and Thulamela Manager Makonde Mathivha to make sure that in each village which was being electrified, local people benefited rather than workers drawn from other villages to come and do the job.

Mathale also warned lazy councillors who allow RDP house to be built alongside big houses and said if that happened, they would be fired. He also warned Thulamela municipal leaders who were accused during an imbizo at Xikundu recently of not developing other areas that the time of not distributing resources equally was over. He said if mayors, managers or councillors were found to be biased against certain communities, they would be fired.

Chief Busa Nxumalo, who spoke on behalf of the Congress of Traditional Leaders, said traditional leaders supported the project, because it would make people’s lives better. He said the project would also make sure that community members used electricity and did not rob the environment of its bushes for firewood.

Mayor Mahosi was excited and said her municipality would serve all communities, irrespective of where they lived. She thanked  all stakeholders who made it possible for the project to be realised and the Development Bank of Southern Africa for granting the R90 million. She added that 33 705 households in 77 villages will have been electrified by June next year.

She also acknowldged the role played by contractors and engineers who reduced the electrification backlog by 20 000 since 2002.