City attends to 9 669 streetlight related requests between March and April

27 May 2026

Between 26 March and 25 April 2026, the City’s Energy teams responded to 9 669 streetlight-related service requests. For context, to show the impact of the recent once in 200-year-storm, City Energy teams attended to more than 16 000 service requests over four days alone. The City remains committed to addressing streetlight faults across the metro, with intensified efforts ahead of the winter months.

Between March and April 2026, the City recorded and resolved a total of 29 526 electricity related service requests.

‘The City’s electricity teams attended to more than 340 streetlight service requests per day across the metro. For context, to illustrate the impact of the recent once in 200-year-storm, City Energy teams responded to more than 16 000 service requests over four days alone.

‘Our performance remains strong and reflects our unwavering commitment to maintaining service delivery. The City’s Area East recorded the highest number of streetlight-related service requests attended to, with a total of 3 979 - up from 3 501 in the previous month. Area East includes Helderberg, Oostenberg, Bloemhof, and Parow. Area North recorded 2 370 streetlight requests, while Area South recorded 3 235 service requests during the same period.

‘It is important to note that these figures reflect streetlight service requests prior to the stormy weather experienced in May. We anticipate that the data for the period between April and May 2026 will show an increase in service requests as a result of the adverse weather conditions.

‘Our data for streetlight related vandalism and theft also remains high and despite our continued efforts to curb this, we are seeing unnecessary streetlight infrastructure damage due to theft and vandalism. Residents may contact the City and South African Police Service if they witness any suspicious activity near electricity infrastructure in their communities. Let’s protect our infrastructure together,’ said the Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Alderman Xanthea Limberg.

City Interventions

• The City’s Protect Your Power campaign highlights the impact of vandalism, theft, and illegal connections that leave communities in the dark.
• Energy Safety Team and City Law Enforcement continue to be visible in all hotspot areas.
• The City continues to roll out anti-theft and vandalism tech solutions.
• We are installing low-street-value equipment in place of copper to discourage theft and vandalism

We ask members of the public to report any suspicious behaviour to us so that we can Protect Your Power together. Electrical infrastructure is typically situated in our communities, often abutting private property. Swift reporting will enable the City to act with speed to prevent extensive damage.

Streetlight-related requests attended to per metro area:

Theft and vandalism remains the biggest driver of streetlight, and power outages

*Note: The data looks at all streetlight-related service requests closed over a particular two-week period. Data is dynamic and new requests are constantly added to the already logged requests, as well as historic service requests. The data looks only at streetlight-related requests and does not include other energy service requests attended to over the period in review.

Let’s ACT: Protect Your Power against theft, illegal connections and vandalism

• Report suspicious behaviour to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre: 021 480 7700
• Report illegal scrap yards to the ‘Copperheads’: 0800 222 771 (toll free, 24/7, anonymous tip-offs)

SAPS remains the lead authority in crime prevention.

Report to the City

Streetlight and electricity faults:

Call Centre: 0860 103 089
SMS: 31220
WhatsApp: 060 018 1505

Caption: City teams attend to streetlight service requests across the metro.

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office