Eldoraigne community effort to brighten up dark streets

The Citizen

23-04-2025

While non-functioning streetlights continue to be a significant issue for residents in Centurion, community members in Eldoraigne are taking matters into their own hands.
Residents are eager to contribute to the repair of streetlights through the Urban Community Upliftment Precinct (CUP) initiative to ensure their neighbourhoods are safe.
However, they are yet to begin the much-needed repairs, as they are still waiting for materials from the metro.
Community members are hopeful that repairing the streetlights will play a crucial role in deterring criminal activities and improving visibility for both drivers and pedestrians.
Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the city's Energy and Electricity Depot in Region 4 has supplied the necessary streetlight globes and circuit breakers for the repairs.
'However, delays had occurred due to budget constraints, as most of the funds were allocated to a different community upliftment precinct programme,' Mashigo stated.
He assured that the region would continue to assist with materials once additional funds become available.
'The region inspects the materials used, and further inspections will be conducted post-repairs to ensure that the lights are functional,' he added.
Despite these assurances, Ward 69 Councillor Cindy Billson has denied claims that materials from the metro have been received.
'The metro has been telling me that they do not have a budget at the moment,' Billson said.
She explained that the project's goal is to replace old lamps and vandalised lights, but no work has begun yet because residents cannot proceed without the necessary materials.
Billson noted that this recent CUP, approved in March, follows another initiative from the previous year that was completed successfully.
She mentioned that the previous CUP was approved around July of last year, with work commencing in December.
'These initiatives are a response to numerous complaints from residents and motorists who are concerned about safety and security due to poor lighting.'
Jonell van Schalkwyk, a resident actively involved in the initiative, shared insights on their approach to repairing the streetlights in the community.
'We will conduct a walkthrough with metro officials to assess the status of each streetlight. Thereafter, a way forward will be determined once we have the facts regarding the status of the various streetlights and the nature of the best solutions,' she said.
Van Schalkwyk expressed optimism about the potential benefits of functioning streetlights.
'The area will be illuminated again, making it safer in the evenings, especially since we are next to Old Johannesburg Road.'
She mentioned that the possibility of having working streetlights in the neighbourhood initially inspired her to get involved.
She stated that they had hoped to complete the first repairs by May, following a meeting with the Head of Electricity of Tshwane in early February.
However, the ongoing wait for materials has delayed their timeline.
Van Schalkwyk added that the key focus of this project is getting as many streetlights fixed as quickly as possible because the area has been in the dark for a long time.
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