Emfuleni overspends R3.7-million on solar lights amid service crisis

VANDERBIJLPARK - The DA says the Emfuleni Local Municipality has installed nine solar high-mast lights at an inflated price of R3,742,893. According to the Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, the lights were installed by Ngwato Engineering Services, raising suspicions of possible corruption. The DA's Kingsol Chabalala says in a statement, contrasted Emfuleni’s spending with the Midvaal Local Municipality, where similar lights cost around R504,000 each. In Emfuleni, however, each light cost approximately R920,000, an overspend of R415,877 per unit. Chabalala expressed concern over Emfuleni’s financial priorities, given ongoing service issues like unpaid Eskom debts, overflowing sewage, and neglected waste collection. The DA is calling for financial oversight in Emfuleni, urging MEC Mamabolo to address the municipality’s spending and to prioritize essential services.