In the midst of load shedding and an uncertain future for hawkers and street vendors in the Vhembe District, a local businesswoman, Ms Sylvia Siphugu Ravhutulu, is providing some solutions. Ravhutulu, who is the owner of the Intal Power Trading Company, joined hands with the University of Venda and the Thulamela Local Municipality and will launch the very first Solar Streetlights Technology Project at Tshilapfene village this Friday (4th).
The event is to be held at the Muelekanyi Tshivhase Technical School and starts at 11:00.
Ravhutulu explained that women and children were being exposed to different kinds of danger every time load shedding was implemented. Local women often had to find their way through the dense, snake-infested mountains to look for firewood. She realised that she had to do something to help the less fortunate in rural villages. Ravhutulu discussed the problem with BEKA Technologies, her partner in solar and technology, and they decided to solicit funds from an international company to try and address the problem. "This project has been proposed as an intervention to promote a safe environment, particularly to curb gender-based violence against women and children and crime in rural communities," she said.
Ravhutulu invited donors to contribute towards rural development. "We can't live in total darkness forever. As a rural villager, I say, let there be light in the rural villages of South Africa, promote small medium business, and enhance socio-economic growth digitally," she said.
Other notable participants in this project are royal heavyweights Thovhele Kennedy Midiyavhathu Tshivhase and Vhamusanda Vho-Muelekanyi Tshivhase.