By Mapaballo Borotho
- City Power has raised alarm over increasing streetlight theft and vandalism in parts of Johannesburg.
- The theft has left communities vulnerable to crime and unsafe during winter nights.
- Authorities warn that those caught with stolen infrastructure will face legal action.
City Power says there has been a disturbing rise in the theft and vandalism of streetlights in Alexandra, Lombardy East and Marlboro.
The stolen infrastructure, meant to keep communities safe, has now left many areas in darkness, exposing residents to criminal activity and safety risks.
“This warning follows widely circulated videos showing Ward 111 Councillor, Priscilla Supe, working alongside the Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens as they entered premises linked to suspected stolen streetlight infrastructure,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.
Mangena said streetlight theft is not a minor offence, but a direct attack on the safety, livelihoods and wellbeing of residents.
“When streetlights are stolen, criminals are given cover, businesses are disrupted and families are placed at risk. It is both alarming and disheartening that individuals within the very communities meant to benefit from this infrastructure are allegedly involved in its destruction,” he said.
He added that this type of theft is a deliberate act of criminality against one’s own community.
Authorities have warned that anyone found in possession of stolen infrastructure will face the full might of the law.
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