Drakenstein municipality sets deadline for property owners who installed alternative power sources to apply for building approval

CAPE TOWN - The Drankenstein Municipality has set a deadline for property owners who installed alternative power sources without the approval of the municipality to comply with the necessary requirements.

The municipality says it understands that people had to seek alternative power supply due to Eskom's unreliable supply in the past.

It also noted that some registered professional installers were unaware that they had to submit applications before the installation of alternative energy sources.

"During the amnesty period [before the deadline lapses], the municipality will not levy any administrative penalties against property owners who had installed alternative energy systems prior to obtaining all the necessary approvals," said municipality spokesperson Riana Geldenhuys.

"These property owners do, however, need to submit their applications for approval to the municipality before midnight on 31 March 2025."

Geldenhuys says affected owners should follow a set of processes.

"Applications consist of two parts: 1) a building plan approval, which is administered by the Municipality's Building Control section; and 2) permission to install Small-Scale Energy Generation (SSEG), which is administered by the Municipality's Electro-Technical Services division."

The areas affected include Paarl, Wellington, Mbekweni, Gouda, Hermon, Saron and Simondium.