LACK OF WORKING STREET LIGHTS RAISES IRE OF LOCALS
VARIOUS streets in Komani are in the dark due to non-functioning street lights.
Victoria Park resident Gavin Mentoor said this week the issue of high mast lights not working in the area had been reported to the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) over the past three months.
Promises had been made to have them repaired, but to no avail.
“An elderly woman was mugged in the morning recently on her way to the clinic as it was dark. People are afraid to walk alone in the streets because of the darkness.
“The technicians have promised to look into the matter. They said they do not have bulbs and the truck is in Tarkastad,” said Mentoor.
Technicians had arrived recently, but had only checked on the lights and had left without effecting repairs, he said.
The Rep reported (“Defective street lights to get attention”, February 24) that the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (Misa) had deployed personnel to conduct an analysis on the street lights and why they are not functioning and not metered.
EMLM spokesman Fundile Feketshane said at the time the technical services department would attend to the matter and issue a tender notice after June.
“In the next financial year which starts in June this year, the technical service department will craft terms of reference and issue a tender notice to normalise the situation, and even after the situation has been normalised, our electricians will continue with the routine maintenance of the street lights as the municipality is committed to deliver quality services to its people.”
Westbourne resident Velile Mayekiso said the lights had not functioned for the past six years, except for one in Sparrow Street, which finally stopped working in January this year.
“People are being mugged and stabbed, especially on pay day. It is not easy to go out in the early mornings to work without fearing for your life because it is still dark,” said Mayekiso.
He said housebreakings in the area were increasing.
Queenstown community police forum chairman Andries Schlebusch said among the streets without lights was the busy Komani Street in the CBD.
“In the last meeting on July 15, the municipality said they were waiting for the budget to be approved. Now that there is a strike, things are at a standstill,” said Schlebusch.
Questions have been sent to EMLM since July 25, but no response had been received by the time of going to press.