Broken streetlights pose serious danger

Despite two years of efforts by Ward 88 Councillor Wally Labuschagne to restore street lights on the Nigel/Springs and Nigel/Duduza roads, there are still no ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for motorists using the dangerous routes during night time.
According to Labuschagne, this can only be attributed to discrimination against the rate paying residents of Nigel.
“How do you explain the fact that once you cross the boundaries of Ward 88/Nigel into the adjoining wards their street lights are functioning?” Labuschagne asked.
EMM spent R5 million in May on new power infrastructure on the road past Dunnottar Army Base towards Wit Road in Springs and electricity feeding the lights has not yet been switched on.
According to Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), steel poles are an easy target for vandals and a concern for EMM as it is a factor in most of the car accidents on the roads affected.
“Street light poles are being cut down on more remote and sparsely populated roads, especially on the Springs/Nigel and Nigel/Duduza routes. EMM is in the process of replacing all poles (intact or vandalised) with concrete poles. The project started in June 2012 moving from Springs towards Nigel with the expectation to complete it in the final quarter of 2015”, Gadebe said.
“It is not the poles themselves that the vandals are after, but the copper content in the light fittings, which is sold for scrap. We are also replacing the underground copper cabling with overhead aluminium bundling, which means that our street lighting will be far less vulnerable to theft”, Gadebe added.
Commenting further, Labuschagne said the lack of street lights on the road towards Dunnottar and Sharon Park is another concern for residents. Kilometres of street light poles have been vandalised and cut to the ground.
“These poles are cut down and sold as scrap metal. This proves that EMM officials are unable to look after its infrastructure and assets. EMM has made promises to replace knocked down poles, starting with those on dangerous bends. Until now, nothing has been done”, Labuschagne stated.
Gadebe said steel poles, which have not been damaged, are being replanted in the suburbs first where there is minimal incidence of pole vandalism.
“EMM regards street lighting as indispensable in the fight against crime and this is why we are treating this project as a matter of urgency.” Gadebe concluded.