Burning streetlights account to empty pockets
JOBURG - It costs the City of Joburg R15 extra a month per street light that stays on for 24 hours. Multiply that by every street light that remains on every day.
HONEYDEW – The City of Joburg has been having issues with street lights that are either on 24-hours a day, or barely work at all.
Residents in Honeydew were the first to complain when street lights on Beyers Naudé Drive stayed on for 24 hours a day.
Ward 126 councillor Mike Tonkin said he had the same problems in his ward and that City Power had issues with maintenance of street lights.
“I received numerous complaints about street lights in JG Strydom Road and Beyers Naudé Drive, and I report these issues to the responsible entity, but nothing is ever done to repair these street lights.”
City Power spokesperson Sol Masolo was contacted on 15 July about the complaints, and only replied to the queries at the end of July.
In terms of establishing what a normal street light costs the City to run per day, Masolo said that a 50 Watt light costs 25 cents per night.
With regards to the lights that are on 24 hours a day, this number jumps up to 50 cent per street light per day.
Councillor Tonkin was shocked to hear that it costs the city R15 per month extra for one street light that is on for an entire day.
“The number might sound small, but if you work out how many street lights there are in Joburg, then the number tends to skyrocket. This increase in electricity affects the normal, everyday residents who are unable to pay for the ever increasing electricity prices.”
Masolo responded and said a City Power team will be sent out to repair the street lights that are working overtime.
Tonkin added, “While the one half of the street lights is on 24 hours a day, the other half is off most of the time and while this might sound like a solution, it actually isn’t, as crime figures tend to increase when the lights are out.”
Security in Practice CEO Louis Grobler supported Tonkin’s comment and said that crime figures rise when the street lights are not working.
“Criminals don’t like two things – too much light and noise. And when the street lights are off, crimes tend to increase as these criminals are seeing a gap to break into houses and hi-jack motorists.”
