Why so many of Cape Town's street lights don't work
Between 26 May and 25 June 2025, the City's energy teams repaired nearly 12 000 faulty street lights. In spite of this effort, it represents only a portion of the 35 900 energy-related service requests that were logged during that period.
According to the City of Cape Town, vandalism, cable theft, and illegal electricity connections are the leading causes of widespread street light failures across the metro.
These problems are particularly costly, often requiring full replacements of damaged infrastructure – an intensive process that can take several hours or even days.
'We have various interventions to reduce the risk of these crimes, but as always, we need the help of our residents to report suspicious activity of their neighbourhood power infrastructure,' said the City's Mayco Member for Energy, Xanthea Limberg.
The City's Energy Directorate also pointed to severe winter weather as a contributing factor. Persistent storms and intense rainfall throughout June contributed to a rise in reported outages.
'Wet and windy weather often increases the number of service requests,' added Limberg.
'It also slows down turnaround times as it is typically dangerous for our teams to do electrical work in those conditions.'
The worst-hit area during this reporting period was Area East – which includes Helderberg, Oostenberg, Bloemhof, and Parow.
Energy-related requests attended to in the Cape Town metro were as follows: EAST NORTH SOUTH Helderberg, Oostenberg, Bloemhof, Parow Vanguard, Mowbray, City, Atlantis Mitchells Plain, Wynberg, Gugulethu, Muizenberg 4 732 3 632 3 498
The City of Cape Town has asked residents to report suspicious behaviour to the City's Public Emergency Communication Centre (021 480 7700), and to remember that the SAPS remains the lead authority in crime prevention.
For service requests, residents should first log a request online or phone 086 0103 089 (Option 3). Alternatively, email power@capetown.gov.za.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
39 minutes ago
- The Citizen
10 metro police and SAPS officers arrested in Edenvale to appear in court
10 metro police and SAPS officers arrested in Edenvale to appear in court Ten police officers from the SAPS and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) are due to appear in the Germiston Magistrate's Court today, following their arrest yesterday at the Edenvale Police Station. Bedfordview and Edenvale News reports that the officers were taken into custody while on duty. According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), they face charges of corruption and theft. Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping says the arrests are linked to a multi-disciplinary law enforcement operation that took place on June 4 in Edenvale, initiated by the premier of Gauteng. During the operation, the officers allegedly raided a shop, confiscated cigarettes, and took R35 000 in cash along with three packs of headache tablets (Panados). The goods were estimated at R5 000. 'They arrested the cashier for trading in illicit cigarettes and the other employee for violating immigration rules,' Suping says. However, it is alleged that not all the confiscated items were recorded in the police occurrence book. The shop manager later disputed the quantity and type of goods that were logged. All the arrested officers are constables, except for one sergeant. They are currently detained at Germiston Police Station. National reports indicate that six of the arrested officers are from the EMPD, while the remaining four are SAPS members stationed at Tsakane Police Station. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Phuza Weekend Operation leads to a dramatic rise in drunk driving arrests in Limpopo
Limpopo's recent Phuza Weekend Operation resulted in a significant rise in arrests for drunk driving. Image: Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety/ Facebook As the fight against drunk driving intensifies, Limpopo's recent Phuza Weekend Operation has revealed alarming statistics. With arrests for driving under the influence nearly tripling in just one week, the local authorities are taking a firm stance against this dangerous behaviour to ensure the safety of all road users. From August 1 to 3, the Phuza Weekend Operation conducted across various stations in Limpopo resulted in the arrest of 32 drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol. The drivers were aged 28 to 50. The operation was conducted at Giyani, Phalaborwa, Dendron, Modimolle, Makhado, Bolobedu, Polokwane, and Tzaneen traffic stations. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety said the highest volume of alcohol found in one of the drivers was 1.65mg/l. The department hailed the operation as successful. Law enforcement officers worked tirelessly to ensure road safety and prevent accidents caused by drunk driving. The department lauded officers for their effective work during the Phuza Weekend Operation. It also condemned drivers who endangered themselves and others by driving under the influence of alcohol. 'Drunk driving is a serious offence that can result in accidents, injuries, and fatalities, and we urge all drivers to prioritise road safety and make responsible choices,' said MEC Violet Mathye. Additionally, one male driver was also arrested for interfering with officers while they were performing their duties. Moreover, Limpopo police netted 24 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during Operation Shanela between July 28 and August 3. They also confiscated 1,353.20 litres of alcoholic beverages. Meanwhile, 12 male drunk drivers, aged between 26 and 50, were arrested over the July 26 and 27 weekend in Limpopo. The operation was focused in the Waterberg District (Mokopane and Northam) and Mopani District (Bolobedu and Tzaneen).
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
Online dating turns horrific: Pretoria man faces rape and murder charges
A 37-year-old man is expected to appear in the Pretoria Central Magistrate's Court for allegedly raping and murdering a woman he met through an online dating platform. The suspect is linked to at least 10 rape cases and is believed to have used Tinder to lure his victims. He was arrested during a joint police operation in Limpopo on Monday, 4 August, and is facing multiple charges, including rape, murder, and defeating the ends of justice. According to police, after raping and killing one of his victims, he buried her in a shallow grave at his residence. The case was brought to the attention of authorities, and a thorough investigation was launched. The Limpopo Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, urged the public to exercise caution when meeting people online. 'As we celebrate Women's Month, let's remain vigilant and mindful of who we associate with. Report any suspicious behaviour or abuse to the police, always share your location with your family, and avoid meeting strangers in private spaces,' said Lieutenant General Hadebe. The dating platform has encouraged users to prioritise their safety by keeping their home addresses and daily routines private. Users are also urged to inform loved ones of their whereabouts, arrange their own transportation to meetings, and always meet in public places. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
