The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) has announced that its teams have recently addressed over 470 streetlight-related issues as it intensified efforts to identify and fix outages across the provincial road network.
The department stated that in the last month, it has appointed contractors to conduct repairs and maintenance of streetlights along provincial roads across the province.
According to the department, since the appointment, 473 streetlights have already been repaired in various corridors across the cities of Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane, and the Mogale City local municipality.
The department said it will embark on a second phase of repairs, focused on the Fourways precinct, including roads such as Cedar Road, Witkoppen Road, Malibongwe Drive and Winnie Mandela Drive.
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The provincial roads falling in the West Rand Municipality will also be prioritised in the new financial year.
The department shared that it has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Tshwane to conduct repairs and assist with streetlights along provincial roads in the greater Tshwane region.
“The Department is also exploring the deployment of alternative technology, including the use of solar power, installation of energy-saving controllers and bare-aluminium conductors with low scrap value to minimise vandalism and theft as part of the improvements in the ongoing repairs.
“Streetlight maintenance and repairs form part of the Gauteng Provincial Government’s #TacklingG13 initiative focused on high-impact safety, infrastructure maintenance and protection as well as crime reduction,” noted the roads department.
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The department said the initiative focuses on addressing malfunctioning streetlights, which have raised safety and security concerns due to cable theft, illegal connections, and vehicle collisions.
This is to ensure that Gauteng motorists and residents feel safe when driving along the provincial network.
The department added that over the coming weeks, its contractors/teams will cover Gauteng, conducting repairs to and maintenance of streetlights that have experienced defects, straightening knocked-down poles and replacing removed covers.
The department has urged motorists and residents to report theft and vandalism of streetlights and traffic lights, as well as cable theft, to 0800 10111 or at their nearest police station.
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