More than 70 streetlights along Brits Road in Ninapark are functioning again after years of reported outages left sections of the route in darkness.
The City of Tshwane confirmed that its streetlights team from the Rosslyn Electricity Depot carried out repairs from the beginning of November, restoring the lights along the affected stretch in Ward 98.
The improvements are expected to make the road more visible for motorists, pedestrians and joggers who use the busy route after dark.
The repairs follow concerns about prolonged streetlight outages in the area, with community representatives previously indicating that the road had not been this well lit in about four years.
Theft and vandalism cause prolonged outages
Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that vandalism and theft of municipal infrastructure were among the main reasons behind the prolonged outages.
“The outages were mainly caused by vandalism and the theft of overhead cable conductors and streetlight Luminaires.
“This damage required replacement materials and repairs to restore lighting along the affected stretch of road,” Mashigo said.
According to the metro, four service requests relating to streetlight faults along Brits Road had been recorded before the recent repair work was completed.
Mashigo explained that funding and material availability had also affected the metro’s ability to address the outstanding faults.
“Although the metro dispatches maintenance teams daily, these constraints affected the completion of repairs along this road.
“The release of second-quarter funding subsequently enabled the team to procure the necessary materials and complete the work,” he said.
Mashigo said the metro has dedicated streetlight maintenance teams that are dispatched daily to investigate reported faults and carry out repairs across Ward 98 and other parts of Tshwane.
The municipality acknowledged that outstanding complaints remain on its maintenance schedule and will be addressed as funding becomes available.
Mashigo said the metro also deploys scouting and repair teams to inspect streetlights, identify faults and undertake maintenance work.
Residents are encouraged to report faulty streetlights through the metro’s official reporting channels to ensure that problems are logged and scheduled for attention.
Call to maintain restored lights
For residents who have experienced years of poorly illuminated roads, the restoration of the Brits Road lights represents a significant improvement, although concerns about infrastructure theft and the wider maintenance backlog remain.
Resident Masego Bokaba said: “We are happy to see the streetlights working again because this road was extremely dark at night.
“It was difficult for pedestrians and people who exercise in the evenings, while motorists also had limited visibility. Hopefully, the metro will maintain the lights and ensure they do not remain broken for years again.”
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