Still no streetlights in Proclamation Hill

AfriForum Pretoria West branch want to help residents of Proclamation Hill to restore streetlights, following recent success in Danville. For two years Proclamation Hill residents have been struggling with out-of-order streetlights and Tshwane metro did not seem to be doing much about the problem, according to AfriForum.

AfriForum’s Gauteng North co-ordinator Tarien Cooks said the Pretoria West branch wanted to attach ribbons to streetlight poles in Proclamation Hill where lights are not working so that the metro could fix it. Streetlights in their neighbourhood have been out of order for almost two years.

Residents say it is much easier for criminals to break into houses because they could do so unnoticed in a dark street. Rekord has previously reported on the streetlights being out of order and contacted the Tshwane metro about the matter.

The metro has failed to respond to the matter in full for the past few weeks and only responded by saying they were working on fixing the lights.

Resident Mike Bosch said quite a few streets have had lights going out recently. He pointed out that the whole of Mimosa Street has been without streetlights for the past months. “It is now two years that we have reported the faulty streetlights in our area, but nothing is happening. This matter needs to be investigated.”

Bosch said some residents have opted for installing lights in their backyards, trying to discourage burglars. But setting up your own lighting in the street was not really viable. “It is fine that we can see behind our houses, but it does not help much if we cannot see in front of houses in the street,” Bosch said.

Some residents have also opted for spotlights in their yards to identify any movement in the street.

SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco) chairperson Nagesh Chetty bemoaned the current state of affairs. “People pay their rates and taxes every month. Tshwane metro needs to wake up and start doing its job. Residents cannot sit without streetlights for two years.”

Chetty said residents had reported the streetlights, and so did he, but the metro has done nothing. A major frustration was some streetlights which are switched on during the day. Before the state of the City address mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa said the metro was doing its best to keep streetlights functioning at all times, to keep the grass in open spaces short and to improve police visibility.

The residents of Proclamation Hill were not impressed, saying not many of these intentions have borne fruit in their area. Chetty said: “The mayor needs to start acting, or will end up needing the president of our country’s intervention.”