The poor get solar power this winter.

The city on the move, Mangaung Metro is still continuing installing solar geyser in most of the RDP houses. On a wet winter Thursday (21 June 2012), Mangaung Issue visited one of the houses in J. B. Mafora as they were still busy installing them. Thinandaba Pheko from Tasol Solar Energy Solutions explained to Mangaung Issue how the whole solar geyser system works. With winter and lack of sunlight, Pheko said the water temperature is low compare to summer days. “However, people can still use it” said Pheko. He added that at some day, especially in the winter morning people will find that water from the geyser is not that warm. “On days such as these it is when you need to use a kettle to heat your water” he said. It was all smiles on Gift Williems’ face when his geyser was installed. “Since the water will be hot and I will be saving money on electricity, I am very happy to have my geyser” said Williems. To have his geyser, Williems said “I heard a message from the street committee that we need to bring a copy of my ID and prove of address to apply for it and they come”. However, not everyone is happy about these solar geysers, as Sarah Tsamai who lives not too far from Williems, said her geyser is licking water inside her RDP. Tsamai has being calling people from the committee to come and fit the lick and no one has showed up. From there, Mangaung Issue took some time to visit ward ten counsellor, Zacharia Motladile to enquire about these problems. He said he has called meeting with the community saying that they are awe of the problem with the geysers. Motladile said “the people responsible for these geysers are in Gauteng and it is hard to get hold of them”. He concluded by saying there will be an action plan to maintain them and “I would like to advice our people to try to fix their geysers themselves where there is a small lick”.