A recent increase in street light repairs has led to a significant reduction in crime and car thefts in some parts of Lyttelton and Olievenhoutbosch.
The recent repairs were carried out as part of the Mayor’s city management plan.
This is part of the metro’s efforts to repair the 6,900 street lights reported as broken across Centurion.
Dana Wannenburg, Corporate and Shared Services MMC, said 600 streetlights were repaired in the two areas within two weeks.
He said the initiative started in Ward 57 and included numerous activities such as repairing potholes and street lights, trimming trees, mowing grass and cleaning storm drains on Cantonments Road in Lyttelton.
“I was impressed with the work of our corporate partners’ drain cleaning team in Santam,” said Wannenburg.
He said the initiative was a testament to the successful partnership between the metro and the private sector.
The repair work extended to Olievenhoutbosch and focused on the street lights in districts 77 and 106.
Wannenburg said he had worked with district councils in each area to inspect the pothole repairs and street cleaning work being carried out.
“I would like to highlight the success of the District 106 community coming together to protect their local infrastructure, resulting in no cable thefts in the past year.”
He said cable thefts are common in the area, causing power outages for days.
“The city’s management teams also repaired street lights along Waterburg Road that had been out for over eight months due to cable theft,” Wannenburg said.
Image: Supplied
He said the subway was confident that the street lights would now remain on.
“Region 4 officials repaired a total of 600 street lights during the two weeks from July 29 to August 4 and August 5 to August 11.”
Wannenburg said additional streetlight repairs are being done in various parts of the city.
District 57 councillor David Farquharson said Lyttelton had seen an increase in crime and kidnappings before some street lights were repaired.
He said residents were concerned about their safety at night and believed some of the kidnappings would not have happened if the street lights in the area had been working.
“Cable theft also increased because it was often dark and criminals took advantage of this,” said Farquharson.
“I am excited that work is being done to make the city brighter. I am also very grateful to the mayor for pushing this initiative forward.”
Farquharson said recent repair work had made a difference, although some street lights on main roads were still not working.
Kenneth Masha, ward 106 councillor, said 80% of the district was in darkness before repairs began.
He said that due to the recent subway intervention, about 15% had been repaired.
“I am grateful for the subway’s intervention because some of the streets I had suggested for repair have now been addressed,” said Masha.
Masha said the streets that had been a cause for concern were now well lit and residents of the area felt safer walking at night.
“Something like this hasn’t happened in my district for at least four years. Crime was rife in the dark streets of Olievenhoutbosch.”
He added that the functioning street lights had helped reduce the high crime rate in the area.
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