‘We have become the ‘forgotten suburb’

The Polokwane Municipality needs to shape up when it comes to general maintenance of the city’s infrastructure and ensure the safety of all its residents.
Open electrical transformers, dark streets and no water for weeks on end are just some of the issues that residents in Westenburg say they have had enough of.
Some go as far as labelling the area ‘the seemingly forgotten suburb’.
Jeffrey Kennedy is one of the concerned residents.
He shared with Polokwane Observer his concern over the lack of streetlights in many parts of Westenburg, open transformer boxes and the ongoing water crisis.
“Open transformer boxes create a danger for everyone who walks by. Children can easily access the boxes and then run the risk of being electrocuted. The boxes cannot lock properly and are closed by means of wire or stones placed in front of the doors. Those transformers that are fenced are also easily accessible with open gates.”
Streets covered in darkness create the perfect opportunity for criminals to lurk around in the area, he added.
To add insult to injury, the municipality’s ability to provide water tankers is inconsistent, according to Kennedy.
“There is no way for us to know when the tankers will come, and the municipality needs to issue a schedule.”
The main problem, he stated, was that the water tankers come to the area when most people are at work.
Contacted for comment, Municipal Spokesperson Thipa Selala said the municipality is currently finalising a schedule that will be issued to the public once completed.
Selala added that municipal workers would not intentionally leave a transformer with live electricity open and that, in most of these instances, the boxes were left open by cable thieves.
“All open boxes should be reported to the municipality immediately. In most cases, theft contributes to boxes that are left open, but these boxes are maintained and cleaned as they are the source of electricity supply.”
He urged residents to report open transformer boxes to the following number: (015) 023 5490/5705 or to their ward.
Westenburg Police Station Commander, Capt Maimele Pilusa, confirmed that the shortage of lights at night hinders the work of the police.
“If we consider the lack of street lights in Grand Canyon Street, one will realise that it becomes easy for criminals to run into the bushes where they will not easily be spotted. Once you miss a suspect and he or she gets to that street, they are gone because there is not sufficient lighting.”
Pilusa says the installation of mast lights in the area would assist a great deal in this regard.
Selala commented by saying faulty street lights too should be reported, but that new street lights is something that should be budgeted for.

Story: Umpha Manenzhe