Selection Park resident Kathy Preston says she went to the Rietfontein Landfill Waste Site on December 30 and only a few lamp posts were broken, but when she returned the next day to dump refuse at the landfill site, she noticed that more posts had been damaged.
“I have no idea why someone would completely destroy something that was put there for their convenience,” she says.
Ward councillor Shadow Shabangu was surprised to see that only three of the concrete lamp posts, directly opposite the entrance to the landfill site, is still standing.
He says the Ekurhuleni Metro puts up street lights for the community and, especially in that area, for the safety of motorists.
“The community should look after it and not break it,” he says.
Most of the lamp posts are completely demolished and have been left in the street.
All the electrical fittings of the lights, including the light bulbs, have been removed.
The remains of a few of the damaged light covers were found in the grass.
According to Shabangu the suspects, “obviously had no use for the light covers but they might come back for the iron rods that hold the concrete together.”
He feels the metro should also do proper maintenance work.
“If maintenance work is done on a regular basis, the metro will notice these problems and at least try and prevent further damage to their property,” says Shabangu.
He discourages the community from damaging metro property.
Themba Gadebe, the metro spokesman, says they evaluated the damage caused during the vandalism of the lamp posts in order to quantify the amount of material that will be needed to re-instate the vandalised and stolen infrastructure.
Orders for materials have been placed and the lights are expected to be re-instated by the end of February.
“The affected area has been identified as a theft hotspot and will be regularly patrolled by both the EMPD and the police,” says Gadebe.
The maintenance of streetlights is an ongoing process that is in line with the maintenance plan to ensure the town is lit.
Community members and road users are encouraged to inform the metro of none operational street lights through the call centre on 086 054 3000 as well as any suspicious behaviour around municipal infrastructure.
