FEARS of crime linger among the Westville community as they grapple with the issue of dysfunctional street lights. The Westville Ratepayers Association has stressed that the faulty street lights perpetuate criminal activities. According to the association, the street lights are being vandalised.

“The main entrance to Atholl Heights and the major feed to Reservoir Hills have no working lights. From Blair Atholl to Strathay Road, many have been vandalised, and on Strathay, every light pole does not work due to theft or vandalism.

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“Pole 114 was reported as it is not easy to report an entire street. On August 25, it was again reported using the recommended WhatsApp number, and a reference was issued. Follow-up emails have been sent with no response,” stated the association.

They said the dysfunctional lights had rendered the place a major risk as there had been an armed robbery at the Atholl Spar, followed by an attempted hijacking. “Coupled with no street lights and poor road markings, it places the residents driving at major risk as the roads are snake long,” they said.
The association has declared that the time for action has begun as they are set to hold their public meeting on September 28. Vic Naidoo, the secretary of the association, said this meeting will afford them the opportunity to establish themselves within the community.

“A public meeting will be held on 28 September 2022 at the Westville Civic Centre, 1 William Leister Dr, Westville, at 19:00, to discuss the importance of being part of a recognised body that can act with one collective voice. In order to have a clean, functioning Westville, citizens have to keep coming together to get the job done at an additional personal cost – a job that is the responsibility of the municipality, that our rates have paid for,” said Naidoo.

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The association emphasised for the public to be present at the meeting as this will give them an opportunity to join one big voice and to be enlightened about the organisation.
“The WRA was formed in December 2021 as a result of poor service delivery. Residents were becoming frustrated because of no feedback or intervention from their ward councillors or from City officials or the call centres. This led to ‘volunteers’ who in some instances charged a service fee to report the issue to a contact.

“We saw a need for an organisation to work within the parameters of the law, and as a pressure group to hold ward councillors and the City accountable. The WRA has so far been able to achieve this.”
The WRA said they are excited to meet with the community for their public meeting.
In response to the dysfunctional street lights, the eThekwini Municipality was not available for comment by the time of publishing.