Operation Good Hope brings light back to communities
The project is mayor Mxolisi Kaunda's initiative to eradicate service delivery backlogs in the city.
It is common knowledge that well-lit neighbourhoods are safer and experience less crime than dark or poorly lit areas.
In most instances, there is a simple and direct relationship between lighting and crime – better lighting deters offenders who benefit from the cover of darkness.
Through its Area Based Management office, the municipality’s mission to make the city a safer place undertook Operation Good Hope in Wentworth, Merebank, and Jacobs recently.
The project is mayor Mxolisi Kaunda’s initiative to eradicate service delivery backlogs in the city. Street lighting was identified, among others as a key issue. Electricity teams were on the ground for two weeks and tackled a list of 45 streets requiring urgent attention.
Head of eThekwini Electricity, Maxwell Mthembu, said that his teams were committed to doing the work, but they found that in certain areas, vandalism and destruction of municipal property were rife.
He said he also believes that this is related to criminal activity, drugs, and gangsterism. His plea to the community is that they protect infrastructure and act as the eyes and ears of the municipality.
Merebank community activist, Sharin Rajman, was happy to see the streets lit again.
“We are ecstatic that the street lights are finally repaired and replaced in ward 68. We want to thank the electricity department and the ABM office for coordinating this. We further commit ourselves to be alert to those who are destroying government property,” she said.
In addition to the electricity issues, the senior manager at SDB-ABM, Eurakha Singh said, “Parks department collected 12 tons of cuttings, three parks were cleaned and 100 bin bags were collected.”
“The health department’s vector control sprayed 287 manholes and 61 burrows. DSW collected 14 tons of waste, cleared 10 illegal dumping zones, and the roads department painted 19 roads and 18 homeless people were profiled by the Safer Cities Unit.”
Eunice McCallister of the Keep Wentworth Beautiful Association (KWBA) said, “Thank you to the ABM, DSW, roads, and parks for the hard work they have done in restoring pride to our area. As the KWBA, we are committed to sustaining the good work that has been done and will continue to educate our communities to keep the area clean and green.”
