The Tshwane metro’s recent efforts to restore streetlights along Nellmapius Drive between John Vorster Drive and Main Road in Centurion to full functionality have been welcomed by motorists who regularly travel along the route.
However, residents say non-functioning streetlights remain a widespread problem across many parts of Centurion and are calling on the metro to continue prioritising repairs.
For Irene resident Jackson Naidoo, who travels along Nellmapius Drive daily on his way to work before sunrise, the difference has been significant.
Naidoo said he first noticed the improvement on May 28 while driving to work and was encouraged to see the entire stretch illuminated after months of experiencing sections of the road in darkness.
“It was immediately noticeable. For a long time there were stretches of the road where many of the streetlights simply were not working, and when you travel before sunrise it can be quite challenging. Visibility was poor in some areas and it always felt less safe driving through those sections,” he said.
According to Naidoo, the functioning streetlights have improved visibility for motorists and created a safer driving environment during the early morning and evening hours.
He welcomed the metro’s efforts and said the repairs demonstrated that progress was possible when infrastructure maintenance was prioritised.
“It is good to see that the city is making an effort. We often focus on what is not working, but in this case there has been a visible improvement and residents should acknowledge that. I hope the city continues prioritising streetlight repairs across Centurion because it remains a major issue in many areas, but I can see that work is being done,” he said.
The Reeds resident Samantha Mahlangu said that while improvements had been made in some areas, non-functioning streetlights remained a major concern in her community.
She stated that when streets are dark for years, it affects everyone.
“It becomes a safety concern for people walking in the area, motorists have reduced visibility at night, and residents feel vulnerable when returning home after dark.”
Mahlangu recalled the metro’s Re A Spana campaign in the area during March, saying residents noticed visible improvements to streetlights along Uitsig Road as officials focused on addressing service delivery issues.
“You could clearly see the difference on Uitsig Road after the campaign. The streetlights were repaired. It showed that when resources are allocated, progress can be made. We just want to see the same attention given to other streets that have been struggling with the same problem for years,” she said.
Ward 69 councillor Cindy Billson said non-functioning streetlights remain one of the biggest infrastructure challenges across her ward, with some residents having reported outages for more than two years.
According to Billson, residents in parts of Eldoraigne have been reporting faulty streetlights for up to 18 months without receiving any indication of when repairs will be carried out.
“In some affected streets, very few lights are working, while others are completely dark. I estimate that around 65% of streetlights across the ward are currently not functioning,” she explained.
She told Rekord that the lack of progress on streetlight repairs forced communities to explore alternative solutions.
“After waiting about a year for approval, I recently received permission to proceed with a Community Upliftment Precinct (CUP) initiative that will see solar streetlights installed in parts of the ward. The project is being funded and organised independently by residents and private companies,” she said.
Billson said the initiative would be funded by residents and private companies, and she is engaging community groups on how they can participate.
“We’re trying to get some light back into the area. The goal is to restore lighting to at least 50% of the affected areas through the initiative,” she added.
ActionSA councillor Henriette Fröhlich said several factors have contributed to the delays in repairing streetlights in areas such as The Reeds and Rooihuiskraal.
📣 The work of fixing streetlights on John Vorster Avenue, Highveld continues. #CenturionMatters pic.twitter.com/1nTE3i1SXN
— Henriette Frohlich (@henriettefroh) May 27, 2026
According to Fröhlich, the current financial year ends on June 30, and the budget allocated for streetlight maintenance in the region is nearing depletion.
She explained that although the metro has managed to maintain a funded budget despite growing repair costs and increasing outages, many ageing streetlights require full replacement rather than simple maintenance.
“Our infrastructure is broken. Funds to replace entire streetlights are required, not just funds to replace bulbs,” she said.
📣 The @CityTshwane remains committed to fixing all streetlights in Centurion. #FactsMatterhttps://t.co/Dly2kXF1od pic.twitter.com/dEi4Xnzv3Y
— Henriette Frohlich (@henriettefroh) May 19, 2026
📣 The @CityTshwane remains committed to fixing all streetlights in Centurion. #FactsMatterhttps://t.co/Dly2kXF1od pic.twitter.com/dEi4Xnzv3Y
— Henriette Frohlich (@henriettefroh) May 19, 2026
Fröhlich added that the current administration has been focused on building internal capacity by filling critical vacancies, purchasing equipment such as cherry pickers and reducing reliance on external contractors.
She said electricity department staff are being trained to repair streetlights and that dedicated teams have already made substantial progress in areas such as Lyttelton and Laudium.
“The electricity department has had to prioritise restoring area power outages over streetlight repairs, which has led to a delay in the streetlights schedule. If the network feeding the streetlight pole is faulty, the streetlight cannot be repaired.”
She added that residents should start seeing more visible progress on streetlights in the new financial year starting on July 1.
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