While the rest of the country was battling to cope with the nationwide electricity load shedding residents of the Rosevalley informal settlement, in Oudtshoorn, had reason to smile as they received electricity for the first time.

Speaker of the Greater Oudtshoorn municipality, Aldm John Stoffels, marked the festivities by switching on the electrical connection to the temporary residential units in Rosevalley.

The speaker was accompanied by almost all councillors of the Oudtshoorn Municipality including the Executive Mayor of the Eden District Municipality Councillor Wessie van der Westhuizen.

Ward 6 Councillor, Veronica Williams was also there to flick the switch and mark the beginning of the electrification of these informal settlements.

In her address during this special event, Williams congratulated the 183 families and thanked them for their patience while the construction of their formal structure was under way.

Rosevalley consists of 300 temporary residential units awaiting the ongoing human settlements top structures that are currently built. Another 208 temporary units will be electrified by mid-December this year and the remaining 92 will be done in January 2016.

During the welcoming address the Community Services Portfolio Chairperson, Councillor Nondumiso Gunguluza told residents that the switching on of electricity in Rosevalley is only the beginning of many good things the Oudtshoorn Municipality will do to ensure effective service delivery of quality infrastructure.