East country estate collaborates with metro to replace 41 streetlight bulbs

In a joint effort to improve safety and security, the Silverwoods Country Estate Home Owners Association and the metro recently replaced 41 streetlight bulbs in the area.

This initiative is a step towards making the area safer for residents and visitors in public places.

This was part of the Community Upliftment Precinct (Cup), an initiative to assist residents, businesses and the community to enter into formal agreements with the city to maintain and improve public infrastructure within their residential, business and industrial areas.

After obtaining the necessary permission from the city, these services may include planting flowers, cutting grass, painting and repairing sidewalks, repairing streetlights and patching potholes.

Aesthetics portfolio director Atang Moahloli said the new bulbs would not only improve visibility but send a strong message that the area is well-lit and safe.

“Our mandate as estate management is to ensure we maintain security and enhance the aesthetic appeal of the estate. The presence of streetlights enhances both safety and security in our public spaces,” Moahloli said.

“The absence of maintenance on this important public infrastructure hindered the promotion of security as we are a secure residential estate and it did not advocate for a better quality of life.

“The operational maintenance responsibility of the internal streetlights is not vested with the Home Owners Association, as we are not the custodian, which makes it cumbersome to address some of the complaints from our members or residents on inoperative streetlights.”

Moahloli said the delayed response by the metro in resolving the issue due to its own operational challenges led to residents being frustrated, which was enough motivation to explore workable solutions to address these frustrations.

“The introduction of the Cup last year prompted us to take the opportunity to partner with the city and become active participants in curbing a further decline in our prestigious estate through maintaining our internal streetlights.”

He said the responsibility for maintenance of public or communal areas in the estate is vested in the estate’s management office.

“Our internal risk assessments dictated that working on electricity should be done by competent personnel, especially on public infrastructure such as streetlights. Unfortunately, we could not advocate that it becomes a community exercise.”

He said the material and labour (certified electrician) were supplied by the association. The metro conducted a post-installation inspection.

Moahloli mentioned two issues faced by the estate:

– The issue of incorrect billing regarding utility accounts by the city is another matter they were informed that the city is actively trying to resolve

– The maintenance of roads.

Mayor Cilliers Brink commended the association for its initiative to replace streetlights.

“The association applied through the Cup initiative to replace 41 street bulbs in its area and it was a success.”

 

According to Brink, the city has so far received 30 Cup applications following the launch of the initiative.

“Out of the 30 applications, a total of seven applicants have been evaluated, with six receiving provisional approval. One applicant was successful and I had the opportunity to meet with the successful applicants.”

Brink said the initiative was part of the city’s whole-of-society approach to work with communities in maintaining their neighbourhoods and surrounding spaces without unnecessary bureaucracy or barriers from the metro.

“Communities that are interested in the Cup initiative must consult their ward councillors to draft a list of service challenges.”

This list will be brought to the attention of the office of the city manager, who in turn will liaise with the relevant regional officials and arrange a meeting with the community.

An operational plan will be drafted by the city together with the community and final approval will be granted by the office of the city manager.

Brink said it should be noted that the Cup initiative is voluntary and is not a transfer of municipal functions to communities.

“The city will continue to render its normal municipal services, such as electricity supply, waste removal, water supply and so forth.”

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