After months of fear, frustration and living in near-total darkness, residents using The Poort route in Pretoria North have finally seen a breakthrough, with streetlights in the area now repaired following sustained pressure from the community and the ward councillor.

The Poort, a key stretch of road running from Wonderboom Junction to Onderstepoort Road, had become notorious for criminal activity after streetlights stopped working, leaving motorists and pedestrians vulnerable, particularly during the early morning hours and after sunset.

For months, residents repeatedly raised concerns with the Tshwane metro, warning that the lack of lighting was contributing to muggings, hijackings and cable theft.

Despite numerous complaints, the area remained dark, fuelling anger and fear among those who rely on the route daily.

“We have been living in fear for months. The Poort is not safe for motorists and pedestrians.

“At some point, residents were even using their vehicle headlights to help pedestrians see where they were walking,” said Mncedisi Williams, who regularly uses the road.

Williams said the community grew increasingly desperate as the situation dragged on.

“We didn’t need assessments; we needed repairs. If the municipality didn’t step in, more people were going to get hurt, or worse,” he said.

Another resident, Thando Makhanya, said the absence of lighting had already had serious consequences.

“I was mugged around 20:00, coming from work in this area. People think it’s funny until it happens to you. This is a basic service, and its failure has terrorised us,” she said.

Following mounting complaints and an urgent formal intervention by Ward 2 councillor Quentin Meyer, the metro has now repaired the streetlights in The Poort, bringing long-awaited relief to residents.

Meyer said the restoration of lighting was a critical step towards improving safety, but stressed that the fight was not over.

“I will continue to push the relevant departments until the entire area is fully and properly lit.

“Streetlighting is not a luxury; it is essential for safety and visibility. Residents deserve to feel safe when using this road.”

He added that numerous maintenance requests had previously been logged with the metro’s electricity department, with little progress until recently.

“We received promises of action, but the situation remained unchanged for a long time. I’m pleased that repairs have finally been made, but sustained maintenance is needed to prevent a relapse,” said Meyer.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo indicated that Ward 2’s illumination levels were comparatively better than those of other wards in Region 1, while acknowledging that limited maintenance resources had affected response times.

He said electricity teams are dispatched daily to attend to streetlight complaints and that the metro is pursuing long-term solutions, including solar high-mast lighting, to improve consistency and reduce crime.

• Also read: East route labelled ‘death zone’

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