eThekwini Municipality has revealed more than 26,000 defective streetlights as it battles budget, procurement and maintenance challenges.
More than 26,000 streetlight faults remain on eThekwini Municipality's books as the city continues to battle budget constraints, material shortages and procurement challenges affecting its street lighting network.
The scale of the problem emerged in responses provided to Ward 11 councillor Allan Peterson following concerns he raised during June's council meeting.
Peterson questioned the municipality's ability to maintain street lighting infrastructure amid growing concerns about electricity losses and reports that some streetlights remain illuminated during daylight hours.
“We are reliably informed that there is a shortage of photoelectric control units, which detect when it is dark, leaving dozens of street lights on during the day. This is unacceptable and contributes to the municipality's operational costs,” Peterson said.
