Umbilo resident fed up with the state of his community
Umbilo resident William du Plooy says that there are multiple streetlights in Hutchinson Road that are ineffective, and there is constantly garbage around the area.
LOCAL resident William du Plooy moved into Hutchinson in Umbilo 15 months ago, and since then, he says there have been a slew of issues including ineffective streetlights and refuse-removal issues.
“My wife and I were so excited to move into the place we are living in now because it is a prime retirement location. I am now 78 years old, and my wife is 76. We want nothing more than to live in peace, but it has been anything but that,” said Du Plooy.
The Umbilo resident says that there are multiple streetlights in Hutchinson Road that are ineffective, and there is constantly garbage around the area. “We are embarrassed to invite people over. Firstly, because there is bad visibility at night and secondly, because of the dirt.”
He says that the issues have been ongoing since they moved into their residence, and he has received no help from a ward councillor or from the municipality.
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“I have sent countless emails, but there has yet to be someone who has come out to speak with me about these issues. If you just drive on Hutchinson Road, you will see about eight broken streetlights as well as tons of litter and uncollected garbage bags, which have been there for months,” he said.
Municipality response
Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela says cable theft and vandalism to infrastructure are currently at the heart of eThekwini Electricity’s defective streetlights.
“Despite such challenges, municipal employees continue to go the extra mile daily to reach areas in desperate need of repairs and replacement of streetlighting infrastructure. The Unit’s Streetlighting Division has incorporated joint operations from all its regions to tackle repairs as the city is inundated with damaged streetlights,” said Mayisela.
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“Residents are encouraged to report faulty streetlights or any suspicious activity around municipal infrastructure through our contact centre and other available electronic channels,” said the municipal spokesperson.
