“I had noticed the lights burning day and night for about three weeks previously, so I decided to visit the site and possibly get answers as to why this was happening,” he explains.
Upon his arrival at the premises, Thinus says, he was rudely received by one of the contractors on site.
“I approached three men, who said they were contractors at the site; when I asked them why the lights are always on, one of them asked me why I feel it’s my concern.”
Thinus says he responded by asking who is paying for the high electricity costs that are being incurred as a result of the large volume of electricity being used.
“They said I’m not the one paying for it, so it should not concern me,” he adds.
Thinus, who says his concern is the fact that taxpayers will indirectly be affected by the electricity costs, still feels he does not have the answers he is looking for.
“I think that the contractor who spoke to me was very arrogant, which is baffling considering the fact that I had a valid question,” he adds.
“As a taxpaying citizen, it is my prerogative to ask.”
Ricardo van Aswegen, who is the site manager, says the lights on and surrounding the premises have an installed timer which is functioning according to the light-testing schedule of the contractors.
“When the lights are on during the day it is because we are testing the lux and trying to make the correct adjustments,” he explains.
“This is probably what the complainant is referring to when he says the lights are on during the day.”
He adds that certain lights will burn the whole night, as those are the specifications of the client.
“We are contracted by the metro and the lighting-schedule is according to their specifications; it is our job to adhere to those specifications.”
Ricardo adds that they are always willing to answer any questions that people may have about the undertakings on site.
Questions have been sent to the metro regarding the specifications they have set for the undertaking on the site.
