Power at Last: 218 De Wagendrift Homes Electrified After 21 Years

After more than two decades in the dark, 218 households in De Wagendrift Informal Settlement finally have electricity, a momentous milestone for a community established after farm evictions in 2004. Thanks to a long-awaited project between Eskom, the Department of Energy and Electricity, and the City of Tshwane, the electrification drive kicked off in June 2025 and was officially celebrated on 26 September. This development is part of a broader effort to upgrade and formalise informal settlements under the National Upgrading Support Programme (NUSP). Phemelo speaks to Tshwane MMC for Housing and Human Settlements, Aaron Maluleka, on what this means for residents and what’s next.