Renthia Kaimbi
Residents and property owners of Omdel Extension 7 in Henties Bay are are still without electricity more than a year after being promised electrification of their area.
The community, which includes pensioners, say they face hardship and safety risks while being charged full land tax for properties they cannot use.
According to residents, the acting chief executive officer of the municipality of Henties Bay, Ignasia Neis, informed them that a tender for the electrification project had been awarded to Faraday Electrical in February 2025.
However, no visible work has taken place, and residents say they have received no clear explanation for the delays.
Community activists Dennis and Charmaine Jansen expressed frustration over the lack of urgency from the council.
“Although the residents have properties and basic services, they are unable to utilise them as the land remains without power. It is difficult to understand why they are being charged land tax while the land is not fully serviced,” they said.
The problem is made more visible by a government school built opposite their homes in 2024.
The school stands empty and dark, without power, and is now exposed to vandalism and theft.
Residents say the lack of electricity is not just an inconvenience but a safety crisis.
Every night the area is left in total darkness, made worse by frequent dense fog. They say this makes movement after nightfall unsafe.
They also question how municipal resources are being used. While Extension 7 remains without a single streetlight or powerpoint, residents say development has shifted to servicing land in Extension 12, where no one currently lives.
With elections approaching, the community say they feel neglected and ignored, expected to vote while their most basic needs remain unmet.
When contacted, Henties Bay mayor Lewies Vermaak referred all questions to the acting chief executive officer.
“I’m not the spokesperson of the council. Call the acting CEO and talk to her,” he said.
Neis also deflected questions, despite having previously confirmed in writing that a contract was awarded.
“Who told you a contract was awarded? Talk to the technical head. Maybe they will be able to tell you why the work has not commenced,” she said.
Henties Bay’s strategic executive of technical services, Emily Tjombumbi, was said to be busy with interviews and unavailable for comment.
Residents have now turned to the media to raise awareness, hoping public pressure will compel the authorities to act and deliver electricity to Extension 7.
