Poor service delivery by the ANC-led Tshwane Council continues to be of huge concern to residents, despite attempts by ANC Ward 61 Councillor, Naeem Patel, trying his best to paint a ‘good picture’ of service delivery in the area.
Complaints from residents concerning blocked drains, non-functioning street lights, falling traffic signs, illegal businesses and illegal shacks are just some of the many issues that residents say are causing the area to slip into decay. One of the many complaints that has been ongoing for about two years now, which has been ignored by both Cllr Patel and the Council, are the non functioning streetlights on Kathmandu Street, Laudium Ext 3, near the Itireleng informal settlement area. This, despite residents already living in fear, especially at night, due to the high crime rate in the area, which they say is exacerbated due to the non-functioning streetlights. Residents said that if and when the Council does eventually attend to repairing the streetlights, only a few of them are repaired, but due to the shoddy repairs, the very same street lights repaired are, within a few days, again non functional.
Angry resident of Kathmandu Street resident, Maya Pillay, told the Laudium Sun, “Our streetlights have not been working for almost two years now and no one from Council seems to be bothered to fix them. We are living in complete darkness every night and it is becoming more and more dangerous for everyone in this area. So many crimes are happening here and it is more so because we do not have working streetlights. When the street is dark, criminals get the perfect opportunity to move around without being seen. We have complained many times to the Councillor, but the lights are still not fixed. We keep reporting the same issue over and over again and we are honestly tired of it. This is a basic service that the Municipality is supposed to provide and we have the right to feel safe on our own street. The darkness is really dangerous, especially for elderly people, women and children who have to walk home after sunset. There have been many house break-ins over the past two years on our street. Criminals are hiding under trees, behind walls, or anywhere in the dark. When there are no streetlights, it is very difficult to see who is standing outside or watching us. By the time you realise something is wrong, it is already too late. We are constantly on edge because we do not know who could be hiding in the shadows. I cannot even think about going for an evening walk or visiting my neighbours on my own street anymore. I am so scared of getting robbed because of the streets being dark at night. Many other residents on our street feel the same way. Once it gets dark, everyone rushes inside and locks their gates. That is not how we should be living. This is our neighborhood and we should feel comfortable and safe here. Sometimes a few street lights get fixed, but the very next day or two they stop working again. We are back to square one every single time. We are really sick and tired of this situation. The Councillor and the Council must take responsibility and fix the street lights properly. The Council must treat this matter as urgent because we cannot continue living in fear like this any longer.”
Karyn Amod, also of Kathmandu Street, told the Laudium Sun, “The streetlights on our street have been non-functioning for about the last two years. Not a single street light is working, and it is really bad because without lights, criminals find it very easy to target our houses and individuals walking at night. This has escalated crime in our area and with the Itireleng Squatter Camp nearby, anyone can imagine how dangerous it is to live without street lighting. Councillor, Naeem Patel is not doing anything to assist us. If he had the interest of all the residents of Laudium, this basic service of streetlights would have been properly maintained. Since Naeem came to office, even the things that were working before have stopped functioning. Residents feel completely neglected and unsafe. We want Laudium to be like it was back in the days when Farouk Essop was a Councillor. During Essop’s tenure, there was far fewer problems and the area was properly maintained. Streetlights were working, and the community felt safer. Everything was managed much better and residents could move around without fear. We want the same standards restored. Living in darkness every night is not just inconvenient; it is dangerous. People are scared to walk outside after sunset, children cannot play outside, and even adults fear leaving their homes at night. The lack of working streetlights has made everyday life stressful and it has allowed criminals to operate on our street without being seen. Residents feel ignored and abandoned as the problem has been ongoing for far too long. We want our rights back. Working streetlights are a basic necessity and the Council together with Patel must ensure it is restored and maintained. Residents demand action, not promises, because the safety and well-being of everyone in Kathmandu Street depends on it. As a community we demand to have a safe environment like it was in Essop’s days, we hope the council will take responsibility immediately.”
Rajeshree Pillay, a resident of Kathmandu Street, told the Laudium Sun, “The streetlights have not been working properly for a long time. Sometimes one street light works for a day, but after a few days it stops again. The Council must fix this problem permanently, not just temporarily. This is very frustrating and unsafe for everyone in the area and the Council and Cllr Patel need to take responsibility to ensure the streetlights are maintained and functioning at all times.”
