Years Without Electricity Leave Limpopo Villagers Vulnerable To Crime, Risks Health 

Over 800 households in Muungamunwe Village, Ward 3, in Limpopo’s Makhado Municipality aren’t connected to the power grid and live in the dark. 

The village has never had electricity. A few families have managed to install small solar systems at their own expense. But the power generated by these solar installations is only enough for powering lights and charging cellphones. Those who have no solar system have to walk about 2.5 kilometres to the next village just to charge their cellphones. 

Not having electricity means forgoing basic amenities like having a fridge. Muungamunwe residents say they only cook what they can eat in a single day. And those meals are cooked on fires from wood collected from nearby bushes. “We can’t stock up on food. Any leftovers spoil quickly, so we end up throwing everything away,” says Eric Tshilongamulenzhe, a community leader.

Increased risk of crime 

Mobile phone communication is another major challenge-residents often have to walk long distances just to find a strong enough signal to make a call.

There are no street lights at all, and this total darkness contributes to frequent incidents of crime.

This presents a serious danger in emergency situations, especially at night, when ambulances are reluctant to enter the village due to crime and poor visibility. 

“At night, sick residents or pregnant women usually have to hire private transport,” says Tshilongamulenzhe.

A 55-year-old woman who spoke on condition of anonymity shares her traumatic experience. 

“At times, I leave home as early as 5 am to get to piecemeal jobs in the next village, but it’s risky. Last year, my dog rescued me from criminals who chased me. Later that year, while I was away attending overnight prayers, all my belongings were stolen,” she says. “This has caused me a lot of stress, and I’m now trying to accumulate the basics again.”

Salminah Mashamba, 82, has reached a breaking point with her medical treatment. 

“I am on chronic medication. My medication needs to be refrigerated after use, but we do not have electricity. I have to walk to the next village to ask for help refrigerating it,” she tells Health-e News. “I feel exposed because now nearly everyone knows about my health. Sometimes I think of defaulting, but it’s also risky. We plead with the municipality to install electricity urgently.”

Dashed dreams

For young people in the village, the lack of electricity creates a cycle of lost opportunity. 

Vhuhwavho Tshipopa, a Master’s student at the University of Venda, has been forced to defer his studies due to repeated thefts. First, criminals broke into his home and stole his laptop and solar energy system. A few months later, they returned and stole a second laptop.

 “I was supposed to submit my Master’s proposal last year, but after my laptop and solar system were stolen, I had no choice but to defer,” he says.  

Now, Tshipopa walks about 18 kms round trip to reach the nearest internet café, where he pays R300 for a full day’s access. “This is taking a toll on me physically and emotionally,” he says. “I’m unemployed, and my siblings try to help me with what little they have, but it’s not enough.”

Last month, residents marched to the Makhado Municipality offices, where they handed over a memorandum of demands. Their primary call was to have a public meeting within 14 days to outline how and when the municipality will provide electricity.

The memorandum was received by an official from the Makhado Municipality. When asked what its response to the community’s demands was, the municipality did not reply to Health-e’s enquiries, despite several follow-ups and phone calls. – Health-e News