Residents of Lotus Street in Roodekrans have been left completely in the dark following a broken street pole left unattended by City Power.

According to Ronnie Breedt, who lives opposite the broken pole, in December, strong winds bent the pole, and the wires were left hanging at ground level.

“I immediately reported this to City Power. Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch also reported this, and we received a reference number.

“While we were waiting, I actually took the initiative to tie the wires high up because cars, especially heavy vehicles, were struggling to pass,” he said.

Breedt added that this then affected streetlights in the rest of the street, and they followed up more than twice with City Power.

“The street is littered with potholes, and it’s difficult for cars to manoeuvre at night. This also opens channels for criminal activities to residents. I do have lights for my gate, but what about other residents?” he expressed.

City Power’s general manager for the department of public relations and communications, Isaac Mangena, acknowledged the neglect and delays in addressing this matter, saying the problem is more complex than it appears.

“The concrete pole is in a state of significant damage and decay, and this is further compounded by a burnt network linked to fibre connections. These factors required a more comprehensive intervention than standard maintenance, which contributed to the extended turnaround time.”

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Mangena added that under normal circumstances, all logged calls for standard streetlight repairs take between two and three days, depending on the nature of the fault and resource availability.

“However, this particular case involves infrastructure replacement rather than routine repairs.

“The damaged concrete pole needs to be replaced entirely, and there are also faults affecting three underground cables that require attention.

“Additionally, the availability of specialised materials, such as concrete poles, has contributed to the delay. These complexities have extended the repair timeline beyond the standard turnaround period,” he added.

Mangena also said their team visited the site this week to conduct a full assessment and engage directly with affected residents, where they apologised for the delay experienced.

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“The team leader is currently arranging for an external service provider to assist with securing and installing a new concrete pole, given the material constraints.

“At the same time, arrangements are being made to repair and replace the faulty cables. While timelines are dependent on the availability of materials and co-ordination with the external contractor, every effort is being made to expedite the process and restore functionality as soon as possible. Residents will be kept informed of progress.”