Prolonged streetlight outages in Vakansiedorp have left local roads in darkness, sparking major safety and security concerns for motorists and pedestrians.

According to residents, several streetlights in the area have been out of service since 2017, while others stopped working in 2022.

They say the prolonged outages have left many streets in darkness at night, creating safety and security concerns for motorists, pedestrians and households.

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Flamingo Street light out for 18 months Vakansiedorp resident Thami Molapo pointed to a streetlight on Flamingo Street that has been non-functional for well over 18 months. “The light was replaced when the municipality upgraded the old streetlights, but it was installed on the same gum pole,” he said.

“It has never worked properly, and despite reporting it, nothing has been done.”

Gert Pienaar said the lack of functioning streetlights has contributed to growing fears of crime, as visibility at night is severely reduced.

He believes the municipality has neglected routine maintenance and failed to respond to repeated requests for repairs. “We feel ignored by the municipality that is supposed to maintain the infrastructure,” Pienaar said.

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“We have been reporting these faulty lights for years, but nothing changes. It seems like our community is not a priority.

“The ongoing problem has frustrated many residents, who are calling on the municipality to urgently inspect and repair all faulty streetlights in Vakansiedorp and implement a regular maintenance programme to prevent similar issues in the future.”

City of Mbombela spokesperson Joseph Ngala was not available for comment by the time of publication.