Tokelo Rasephei
MORE than five hundred families in Malimong in the Berea district are set to benefit from a M6 million rural electrification project, the Minister of Home Affairs, Tsukutlane Au, has said.
Mr Au who stood in for Energy and Meteorology Minister, Mokotlo Hloaele revealed that 535 families will benefit from a M5. 8 million fund that the government has set aside to ensure that five villages were electrified this year.
The project is expected to take 28 weeks and be completed on 20 July this year.
The five villages are Ha Tsai, Majojo, Moholobela, Ha Tsematsi and Ha Monethi.
Mr Au said the electricity would be installed as soon as the KR Holdings Construction Company completed the wiring grid.
He said that every household would be electrified regardless of whether or not they joined the community electricity schemes.
He further said those that were already members of community electricity schemes and had paid M500 would pay the outstanding remaining balance in instalments each time they purchased electricity.
“The government had stepped up to its promise to ensure that every Mosotho has access to electricity, clean water and food security, Mr Au said in his recent address to the villagers.
He said that locals would also benefit from job opportunities that would arise from the wiring process.
For his part, the Malimong constituency legislator, Leshoboro Mohlajoa, thanked the Ministry of Energy and Meteorology for extending the electrification project to his constituency.
“We have been struggling to access electricity for many years and we are therefore grateful to the ministry.
We are faced with many challenges such as theft and burglary which we hope will end once there is lighting at night,” Mr Mohlajoa said.
He called on the Lesotho Electricity company to visit the constituency to educate the community about safety precautions and the proper use of electrical appliances.