Residents travelling along a busy Bishop Lavis road should soon see a stronger line of defence against the vandalism that has repeatedly knocked out streetlights in the area, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The City of Cape Town has invested R1.1 million in upgrading streetlight infrastructure along 35th Avenue, between Robert Sobukwe Road and Owen Road, following ongoing damage and theft along the corridor.
The area has proved particularly difficult to protect, with streetlight fittings repeatedly damaged and electrical cables stripped after repairs have been carried out.
The scale of the problem is reflected in the money already spent keeping the area lit. During the previous financial year, the City spent more than R2.2 million on high-mast light maintenance and repairs in the area.
The latest work is therefore aimed at doing more than simply replacing damaged equipment.
As part of the R1.1 million project, the City is installing 13.5-metre heavy-duty anti-vandalism poles.
The poles have a larger diameter and thicker construction than standard streetlight poles, while key components have also been moved higher off the ground.
The access points and electrical connection boxes will be raised, making them harder to reach and tamper with.
The City is also adding more surveillance cameras in the area, while sensors will be fitted to all supply cables to help protect the upgraded infrastructure.
The measures come after City officials visited the area in April following repairs, only to find that the infrastructure had been vandalised again soon afterwards.
That cycle of repairing damage only for the same infrastructure to be attacked again has become a major challenge for the City.
Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Alderman Xanthea Limberg, said protecting public infrastructure requires cooperation between the City and the communities it serves.
She said the City manages one of South Africa’s largest streetlight networks, with more than 245,000 fittings, while its lighting burn rate remains consistently above 80%.
The City also publishes monthly information on streetlight service requests and repairs.
More than R261 million planned for streetlights
The Bishop Lavis project forms part of a much wider investment in Cape Town’s public lighting network.
The City has planned more than R261.5 million in new streetlight capital projects over the next three years, including the rollout of energy-efficient LED lighting across the city.
For Bishop Lavis, however, the immediate challenge is protecting the infrastructure already being installed.
The City is calling on residents to report suspicious activity around streetlights and electricity infrastructure, particularly where theft, vandalism or illegal connections may be taking place.
Suspicious behaviour can be reported to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700.
Residents can also anonymously report illegal scrap yards to the Copperheads on 0800 222 771, a toll-free service operating 24 hours a day.
The City stressed that the South African Police Service remains the lead authority for crime prevention.
For residents needing to report a streetlight or electricity fault, the City’s channels include:
- Call Centre: 0860 103 089
- SMS: 31220
- WhatsApp: 060 018 1505
For the City, the Bishop Lavis upgrades are about more than replacing poles and cables. The investment is intended to make the infrastructure harder to attack in the first place, while keeping an important route through the area better lit and more reliable.
The bigger challenge, however, will be ensuring the newly upgraded infrastructure remains protected once the work is complete.
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Picture: City of Cape Town / X
