Poor can't be blamed for having illegal connections: Tau
Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau says poor people shouldn't be criminalised for wanting basic services.
The informal settlement of Thembelihle in Lenasia South was electrified by the city on Thursday, with President Jacob Zuma present for the switch-on.
The area has been plagued by violent protests over service delivery and power outages caused by illegal connections.
7000 homes will benefit from the project at a cost of R90 million. Plans are in place to rollout micro-grids in all informal settlements in the city over the next five years.
Tau stated the poor can't be blamed for having illegal connections.
"We can't continue saying that the poor are illegal in Johannesburg, because every time you [question their connections] you mean that the poor are criminals when all the poor are asking for is energy," Tau said.
President Zuma echoed these sentiments.
"I want to agree with the mayor that if we call each other names, it's certain that you are criminalising our people," Zuma said.