Winter readiness – City teams attend to Wynberg streetlight infrastructure
06 May 2026
The City of Cape Town’s Energy Directorate has repaired and upgraded streetlight infrastructure in Wynberg and surrounding areas as part of its winter readiness interventions ahead of the colder and wet months. The team remain on the ground daily, actively maintaining and upgrading infrastructure across all areas of the metro to ensure reliable services to residents.
‘The City’s Energy teams are actively carrying out infrastructure upgrades and repairs across the city as part of our winter readiness programme. This work extends beyond public lighting and includes cables, electricity kiosks, substations and other critical electricity infrastructure.
‘By proactively assessing and strengthening our electricity network ahead of the winter months, the City aims to safeguard its critical infrastructure to ensure continued service delivery.
‘In the current financial year, R75,5 million has been budgeted for the upgrade and expansion of streetlights across the city, and the City views its public lighting service as a fundamental basic service. The City is responsible for a network of more than 245 000 streetlights and we are working to maintain burn rates consistently at around a 90% target as far as possible. While work continues in all communities, vandalism, illegal connections and theft remains a threat that impacts infrastructure and leaves our communities and motorists in the dark. We continue to roll out innovative interventions to tackle these criminal acts and we ask members of the public to continue their support by reporting any illegal acts near our infrastructure,' said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Alderman Xanthea Limberg.
City interventions
The City launched Protect Your Power, a first-of-its-kind campaign highlighting 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 is exploring and aims to expand anti-theft and vandalism tech solutions.
We are installing low-street-value equipment in place of copper to discourage theft and vandalism.
We are welding access points to our infrastructure to deter and complicate access through forced entry.
We ask members of the public to report any suspicious behaviour to us so that we can Protect Your Power together. Swift reporting will enable the City to act with speed to prevent extensive damage.
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:
Caption: (From left to right): Electricity official, Michael Carlson, Councillor Carolynne Franklyn, Alderman Xanthea Limberg, Councillor Carmen Siebritz, Electricity officials, Mansoer Herman and Brintley Hendricks
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
