ANC preaches… ‘power to the people,’… but power to streetlight still not restored by ANC-led Council after cable theft

Another week has passed and yet more incidents of crime have been reported to the Laudium Sun for statistical purposes. While petty crime continues to occur in the area, many victims choose not to report these incidents, claiming that the police appear uninterested in investigating or arresting the culprits.

The Laudium Sun, however, maintains that ignoring petty crime can allow offenders to become emboldened and potentially progress to more serious crimes where residents could be seriously harmed. For this reason, the newspaper believes it is essential that all crimes be reported and that instances of poor policing be exposed.

In one of the recent incidents reported to the Laudium Sun, thieves cut and stole a length of power cable connected to a streetlight pole on Mocha Street in Laudium, near the Laudium Police Station. The theft occurred during the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, shortly after midnight. It is believed that two suspects frequently seen in the area may have carried out the crime. As a result of the cable theft, several streetlights have stopped working. Nearly two weeks later, residents say they are still waiting for the cable to be replaced by the ANC-led Tshwane Council. They fear the darkness will lead to increased criminal activity in the area.

Alma Franke, a resident of Mocha Street, told the Laudium Sun, “We have not had working streetlights on our street for about two weeks now. I heard that two individuals stole the power cable from the street pole around 1am when most people were asleep. This is a serious problem because Mocha Street already experiences a lot of crime and proper lighting is important for safety. Without streetlights, criminals can operate freely in the dark and residents feel vulnerable.

“We are living in a community where infrastructure is being vandalized and stolen regularly, yet there are no visible police patrols and no clear response from the City of Tshwane. This is very worrying for residents because when infrastructure like this is destroyed, it affects the safety and well-being of the entire community. It seems as if it will take the Council a very long time to replace the stolen cable and restore the lighting.

“Previously we only had one working streetlight on our street and now even that has stopped working due to the cable theft. The entire street is left in darkness. At night the area becomes extremely dark and residents feel unsafe even stepping outside their homes. Police and CPF patrols are urgently needed because criminals are now roaming freely without fear. As a community we want our neighbourhood to be safe, especially for our children. It feels as though those in charge at the Council and local politicians do not care about the people living on Mocha Street, as service delivery continues to worsen. We want the old Laudium back.”

Krishna Chetty, another Mocha Street resident, also expressed concern about the lack of lighting. He told the Laudium Sun, “This situation is very worrying because a lot of criminal activity has been taking place on our street since the streetlight power cable was stolen. Proper lighting is very important for maintaining safety in any neighbourhood. When the streetlights are not working, it becomes much easier for criminals to move around without being noticed.

“It has now been about two weeks that our street has been in darkness and residents insist that the lighting must be restored so that people can feel safer at night. Mocha Street has already experienced many incidents of crime and the absence of lighting is making the situation worse. Residents are concerned that more break-ins and other unlawful activities could occur if the problem is not addressed quickly.

“We strongly request Councillor Naeem Patel to ensure that the streetlights are repaired as soon as possible. Restoring the lighting will help bring back some sense of safety to the neighbourhood. At the moment the street feels dark and quiet, which increases fear among residents. We hope that the stolen cable will be replaced immediately so that Mocha Street can once again have proper lighting and provide a safer environment for everyone.”

Mocha Street resident Veena Vera also spoke to the Laudium Sun, saying, “The power cable for the streetlights was stolen two weeks ago and the Council has still not replaced or repaired it. Residents are frustrated because the street remains dark at night, making it unsafe to walk or travel. Proper lighting is essential for safety and crime prevention, and the absence of working streetlights leaves the area vulnerable.”