With the 2026 local government elections approaching, communities in Pretoria East are looking back at municipal promises made in 2021.

Ward 83 councillor Andrew Lesch, who was elected in a June 2023 by-election, said serving the community was a privilege made possible by team effort and local support.

Lesch said the community stood together during difficult times, including large-scale strikes in 2023 alongside long water and power outages.

He listed key successes, such as opening taxi parking inside Menlyn Park Shopping Centre to improve traffic and safety, and relocating illegal occupiers from Wolwespruit.

“This stopped cable theft on the premises, reduced crime in the area and opened the possibility for development to continue,” Lesch said.

He added that a new reservoir at Parkmore LL is nearing completion, the Garsfontein Road upgrade is progressing well, and several Community Upliftment Precincts (CUPs) have been successfully established.

“The hard work, however, is being done by dedicated community members who are involved in the daily management of the CUPs, the cleaning and maintenance of parks, streets and other areas, filling potholes and supporting the Adopt-a-Robot projects,” said Lesch.

However, Lesch noted that Ward 83 remains plagued by regular water pipe bursts and non-functioning streetlights due to outdated and neglected infrastructure.

“Service delivery in especially the water and sanitation field needs dedicated and decisive intervention,” Lesch said.

Water leaks and substations stall progress in other wards

Ward 91 councillor Malcolm de Klerk described his term as difficult yet fulfilling, highlighting upgrades to Graham Road as a major milestone achieved through pressure on Gauteng Roads and Transport.

De Klerk said road conditions, power outages, and burst pipes remained his ward’s biggest challenges.

Ward 45 councillor Elizabeth Basson said she prefers her work to speak for itself, pointing to the Garsfontein Road upgrade and the near-completion of the Parkmore Reservoir as major achievements for wards 43, 45, and 83.

Basson noted that although she raised ageing Garsfontein water and sewerage infrastructure in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), the city has yet to address those requests, leaving residents to endure multi-day water outages.

She added that the Garsfontein Substation remains unrepaired after its protection system was stolen and vandalised in 2022.

Looking forward, Basson said she will continue advocating for the city to restore the electricity grid and replace outdated water pipes to ensure stable services.

Community precincts step in to maintain public spaces

Equestria Ward 85 resident Wade Tilley said the DA was a strong driving force behind establishing CUP agreements with the Office of the City Manager.

Tilley explained that the Equestria CUP now adjoins five neighbouring CUPs, giving power back to the people through public-private partnerships that improve municipal environments.

Erasmuskloof Ext 2 resident Elaine Battle said service delivery significantly deteriorated after the removal of former mayor Cilliers Brink.

Battle cited unrepaired streetlights, unattended potholes, repeated electricity outages, cable theft, and deliberate infrastructure sabotage.

Despite these issues, she noted that community members appreciated interventions under Brink’s tenure, including senior official structures that led to the removal of the Wolwespruit settlement.

Battle raised ongoing concerns regarding illegal occupants around the Garstkloof landfill site and adjacent school land, which residents associate with increased crime.

Metro pledges resources for damaged streetlights

City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said additional resources have been allocated to repair faulty streetlights in Moreleta Park, Waterkloof Glen, Erasmuskloof, Elardus Park, and Wingate Park.

Mashigo said vandalism along Delmas Road requires complete streetlight refurbishment, with work scheduled to commence once budget is secured.

He added that the city’s average turnaround time for road safety requests, including potholes, stormwater, and road markings, is currently 21 days or longer.

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