Estates meet over streetlight service headache

Estates in Centurion met on Monday, July 31, over ongoing concerns about their streetlights.

Rekord previously reported that some estates were struggling to find clarity on why repairs to their streetlights had suddenly stopped.

Raslouw Gardens Estate said that they were struggling to receive a response from the metro after it stopped doing maintenance in March 2021.

Following their report, other estates came forward saying that they were experiencing similar issues.

The estate manager at Raslouw Garden Estate, Louis de Koker, said that his estate had an agreement with the metro signed in 2008.

De Koker said that the agreement was upheld until 2021.

On Monday night, representatives of estates in Centurion met with ward councillor Gert Visser to discuss a way forward.

Jaco Venter of Centurion Residential Estate said that their streets have 237 lights that no longer function as they should.

The establishment of the estate was approved in 1998, with part of the establishment, all services, including electricity, water and sanitation, roads and stormwater, transferred to the municipality.

“We have had a lot of correspondence, but we have struggled to get clarity on the matter,” said Venter.

Venter said that his estate has a clearly defined agreement with the city that is 35 years old and was upheld until May 2019.

“We are open to collaboration,” said Venter, adding that estate residents pay rates and taxes of about R22-million a year.

De Koker noted the city’s response reported in a previous Rekord report on the estate street lights.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said at the time that city policy on streetlight maintenance in estates was determined by conditions and responsibilities agreed to at the establishment of the estate.

He said that the metro was aware of the complaints by the Raslouw Gardens estate residents.

Asked if there had been a change in the policy, Mashigo said: “The estate can provide evidence (conditions) which proves that the city is responsible.”

But Lefty Piagalis, the estate chairperson, said the city should have a record of the agreement but he was happy to provide the proof.

“It was done before, how can they turn around now and ask us to prove it?”

Piagalis said that he understands that the city might be in a strenuous financial position but that residents in these estates pay high rates and taxes.

“We are also spending to protect the metro’s property such as the substation,” said Piagalis.

He said that following cable theft and vandalism, the estate undertook to install cameras, lights and alarms to protect the substation.

The estates say that when they try to push the issue with the metro, they get this response: “We don’t maintain streetlights inside the estates.”

Dr Dirk Heyns, of Eldo-Glen estate, said they also have issues with their streetlights.

Heyns acknowledged that there are differences between estates.

Some own the streets inside the estate, as well as other essential infrastructure, while others have handed over the streets and infrastructure to the city.

“Is this the tip of the iceberg?” questioned Heyns.

Eldo-glen estate also has an agreement with the city, which according to Heyns was upheld for 26 years.

“The infrastructure belongs to the city, the title deeds show that,” he said.

“How can the city not know its assets, why should anyone prove that it is theirs?”

Heyns said that they could find a contractor to fix the problems, but that they were worried as they do not know who is allowed to deal with the city’s infrastructure.

Ward councillor Gert Visser said that as far as he was aware, there was no policy or council decision taken to stop services to these estates.

“Streetlights are a number one concern of many residents in Tshwane,” said Visser. He said that there was a positive correlation between no streetlights and levels of crime.

He said that at the moment, the metro was undertaking to prioritise arterial roads before addressing lights in residential areas.

Solutions need to rise from the context of the financial strain that the city is under.

Visser said that he would assist the estates to receive clear communication of the standing between the estates and the city.

He added that he would find out how other estates have dealt with service matters of this kind.

Here’s the updated Tshwane load shedding schedule

** Please note that this article has been amended 

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