Vandalism and account delays have left hundreds of Sunninghill streetlights dark, raising major safety concerns for residents.

Sunninghill Community Ratepayers Association suburb manager Tracy Kensey said vandals target the cables at night. “At present, we have about 270 streetlights not working in Sunninghill.

“The biggest problem is that it’s dark at night because the streetlights don’t work. We need a permanent solution to stop people stealing these cables.”

City Power, however, said the about 270 streetlights it has identified as affected are not part of a maintenance backlog.

Read more: Residents urged to report vandalised streetlight poles

City Power general manager Isaac Mangena said Eskom switched off the supply points after establishing that no meters were connected to them. “Consequently, the affected points could not be linked to any existing City Power accounts and require applications for new accounts,” Mangena said.

City Power teams are now working on the applications required to facilitate the restoration of supply.

The utility said the delay is primarily linked to the technical and administrative processes required to establish the new accounts. It must also apply for the resumption of the project and complete the necessary procedures before the network can be formally handed over to its maintenance department.

Despite residents waiting for the restoration of the lights, City Power cannot provide a definitive timeframe.

Mangena said restoration depends on completing the account applications and associated procedures, so City Power cannot provide a definitive date.

City Power said theft and vandalism remain wider challenges for streetlighting infrastructure across Johannesburg, with damaged cables and feeder infrastructure sometimes requiring extensive repairs or reconstruction.

The utility has introduced solar-powered streetlights in areas hit by repeated theft, saying the technology reduces vandalism risks.

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“These systems contain fewer recyclable materials that are typically targeted by criminal elements and have proven to be more sustainable in areas heavily affected by infrastructure theft.”

City Power encourages residents to report faults through its call centre on 011 490 7484 or 0800 202 925, or via CityPower.mobi. Residents can also work through ward councillors and recognised community structures when dealing with large-scale outages.

Eskom has been contacted for comment on the reported disconnection of the affected supply points and the circumstances surrounding the matter. Its response will be included once received.

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