During the 11 months to February, State-owned electricity provider Eskom has connected 35 000 more Eastern Cape households, in rural areas, to its grid.
“We have intensified our implementation programme throughout the country and we intend achieving an additional 15 000 new connections in the Eastern Cape before the end of the financial year on March 31.
“We have connected over 94 000 new households in the province over the past three financial years and the journey continues,” said Eskom distribution group executive Mongezi Ntsokolo.
The parastatal earlier this year stated that it could meet any increase in demand until 2021, owing to operational surplus capacity, which averaged 5 600 MW at peak this year.
“Eskom continues to contribute towards the socioeconomic developmental goals of the country by intensifying its electrification delivery programme to respond to the historic backlog in the affected provinces. Changing the lives of our communities is what drives our daily operations. The message to those who are not yet connected is simple: We are coming,” Ntsokolo added.
Over 90% of South African households currently have access to electricity. Eskom aspires to achieve universal access by 2020.