Last Wednesday, the Observer posed a question to the residents of Middelburg, “Are you sick of broken streetlights?” With over 150 comments, the response was a resounding yes!

The newspaper asked people to specify known areas of broken streetlights, and with reply after reply after reply, it became apparent that this is a large-scale issue affecting every corner of Middelburg.

The slew of complaints

Here are but a few examples highlighted in the comment section of the Middelburg Observer’s post.

Nicola Brits – “Oos Street, Mineralia, across the field where the young teachers were murdered last year, also not working. Very dark at night.”

Anthony Hay – “Impala Street, Kanonkop, none of the lights work”

Mohammed Chothia – “Aligarh Street, Koets Street. Almost the whole of Eastdene. SADC Street, Park Street.”

Hansie Roos – “Hex Rivier Street, Aerorand. At the speed hump [you] can’t see the speed hump in the dark.”

Ngwana Wa Mamorei – “Antrasiet Street in Extension 18.”

Charmaine van der Merwe – “Not one light in Colley Street [is] working!”

Dimakatso Dee Loveness – “Elandsrivier Street, Aerorand.”

Lizette Jansen van Vuuren – “Verkenner Street, Dennesig.”

Daniel Mafora – “Ngcobo Street, Mhluzi.”

The problem preventing the solution

These complaints are just a drop in the bucket, but with the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM) limited by budget constraints, progress on a wide-scale resolution has been frustratingly slow-paced.

A major issue impeding STLM from snapping their fingers and repairing all the streetlights is vandalism.

With more and more thefts of valves, cables, piping, and electronics, the costs related to maintenance have ballooned.

For every traffic robot, water pipe, and electrical cable vandalised, the less money STLM have in their kit for streetlights.

This forces our town into a catch-22, as without streetlights, crime becomes more prevalent.

A glimmer of hope

To confront the municipality head-on, the DA launched a petition with the goal of gathering enough signatures to garner STLM’s attention, with councillors Johann Dyason and Helda de Klerk spearheading last week’s pitstop at Kanonkop Superspar’s parking lot.

The initiative, which began in November, has obtained a few thousand signatures, visiting various different wards around town.

Read more here: Enough is enough! Help sign the petition to keep our town out of the dark

STLM did, however, share on social media that the electrical department had completed ‘streetlight repairs and maintenance’ in the following areas.

• Mhluzi, Extension 6.
• Kwazamokuhle, Extension 1.
• Kwazamokuhle, Extension 3.
• Kwazamokuhle, Extension 7.

They then thanked Bahlali for their patience and said that they would be attending to that area with a vaguely messaged ‘soon’.

People commented underneath STLM’s post, pleading for the municipality to come to their area next. This included Rockdale, Nasaret, and Hendrina.

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