City installs energy-saving street lights

By Celeste Ganga
08 August 2007

Over 180 000 street lights across the entire Cape metropole, will be fitted with energy-efficient light bulbs during the next year.

“The City of Cape Town plans to replace all the 80 watt mercury vapour bulbs currently being used in street lighting, with 70 watt high pressure sodium bulbs,” says Manager of Public Lighting, Charles Kadalie.

According to Kadalie, this will result in estimated energy savings at 12% across the board.

“This is part of the City’s concerted efforts to conserve power, whilst at the same time dealing with the scourge of cable theft and vandalism,” says Kadalie.

Kadalie adds that because they are plagued by widespread plundering of their substations and power lines, the municipality has been forced to keep certain areas of street lights burning during the day, to help prevent and monitor occurrences of cable theft.

“The cost of replacing stolen cable and vandalised equipment amounts to R35 000 per incident,” explains Kadalie.

Kadalie says that areas where disruptions are regularly caused by cable theft are; Bonteheuwel, Hanover Park, Gugulethu, Pinelands, Bishops Court, Atlantis, the M5, Mitchells Plain and Vanguard Drive.

To report any suspicious activity around substations and power lines theft, contact the Cable Theft Hot Line on 0800 222 771

To report faulty street lights within the City of Cape Town’s jurisdiction, call the all hours number on 0860 125 012