Online Reporter
Peter Matika Senior Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council is considering introducing a dedicated street-lighting levy to fund the installation of about 200 kilometres of new lighting infrastructure, with councillors raising concerns that poor illumination is exposing residents to heightened safety risks, particularly in the city’s western suburbs.
The proposed levy is part of efforts to address the city’s deteriorating public lighting network, which has left several roads and residential areas poorly lit, creating a haven for criminals leading to cases of mugging.
The proposal was discussed during a recent council committee meeting where councillors pressed management on the state of street lighting, including the time taken to attend to reported faults and the lack of communication with residents on outstanding repairs.
Ward 5 councillor Dumisani Nkomo said council needed to urgently improve its response to street-lighting faults, arguing that residents were being left in the dark without adequate information on when repairs would be undertaken.
Clr Nkomo said council appeared to be struggling to meet stipulated timeframes for repairing and maintaining street lights, while residents were also not receiving regular updates on reported faults and ongoing projects.
“Improved communication is critical, particularly in communities where there lack of such infrastructure because of faults were creating safety concerns,” he said
Ward 25 councillor Aleck Ndlovu said the situation was particularly serious in the western suburbs, where some tower lights had reportedly remained out of service for more than five months.
Clr Ndlovu called for urgent intervention, warning that prolonged darkness was creating an environment conducive to crime and leaving residents vulnerable when travelling at night.
“Western suburbs require urgent attention,” said Clr Ndlovu.
He said the faults were particularly worrying in light of reported mugging incidents in some of the affected areas.
Ward 14 councillor Dumisani Netha also supported calls for urgent action, concurring that the deteriorating state of the city’s public lighting infrastructure was a cause for concern.
The councillors’ concerns come as the local authority explores ways of significantly expanding its lighting network while at the same time addressing existing infrastructure failures.
Responding to the concerns, Acting Director of Works Engineer Methuseli Dibidi told councillors that a Rwandan company had expressed interest in installing approximately 200km of street-lighting infrastructure across Bulawayo.
However, he said the proposed project would require residents to contribute towards its financing through a dedicated levy.
Eng Dibidi said the levy could not simply be imposed without first engaging residents and other stakeholders.
He said extensive stakeholder engagement and sensitisation would be required to explain the proposal and secure residents’ support before it could be introduced.
The proposed levy is likely to trigger debate among residents and ratepayers, who are already contributing towards municipal services and infrastructure development through various charges.
For the council, however, the proposed investment could provide an opportunity to address one of the city’s long-standing infrastructure challenges while expanding lighting coverage to areas currently without adequate public lighting.
Beyond improving visibility for motorists and pedestrians, the proposed 200km expansion could also help address growing concerns around public safety, particularly in residential areas and along roads where darkness has become a persistent problem.
The proposal nevertheless places council in a delicate position as it seeks to mobilise additional resources for infrastructure development without imposing an unsustainable financial burden on residents.
The local authority will therefore have to convince ratepayers that the proposed levy will translate into tangible improvements, including functioning street lights, faster repairs and expanded coverage.
The development also comes as the council continues to grapple with wider infrastructure challenges, including road rehabilitation, water reticulation and the maintenance of other municipal services.
If approved following stakeholder consultations, the proposed street-lighting programme could represent one of the city’s most significant investments in public lighting in recent years, potentially transforming poorly lit neighbourhoods and major roads across Bulawayo.
