Latest City-wide LED streetlight upgrades head to Avonwood, Elsies River
22 May 2025
The City’s Energy Directorate’s has rolled out its light-emitting diode (LED) streetlight upgrade project in Avonwood, Elsies River as part of the City’s broader city-wide initiative to replace older streetlights with modern, energy efficient infrastructure. More than 75 older streetlights were upgraded with power saving LED lamps in the area.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Alderman Xanthea Limberg, and officials visited Avonwood Road in Elsies River, to have a look at the work to upgrade older high intensity streetlight bulbs.
‘Our teams have installed a number of brand new LED streetlight fittings in the area. The old 250-watt high-pressure sodium lamps have been replaced with new 85-watt LEDs, which offers greater efficiency and night-time visibility.
The City has a 25-year plan to retrofit all the streetlight fittings with energy efficient LEDs. To date more than 80% of light fittings on main roads have been retrofitted and all remaining roads will be prioritised from 2027.
‘The City-wide LED retrofitting programme reflects our commitment to improving public lighting while enhancing our energy efficiency in the city. LEDs use significantly less electricity, have a longer lifespan and require less maintenance over time. This will assist with long-term savings and reliability for the City.
‘These upgrades will not only improve visibility in the area, but it will also reduce our carbon footprint. The City has budgeted almost R79 million to streetlighting and public lighting which includes LED upgrades for the current 2024/25 financial year.
‘The City thanks residents for their support during the installation phase and we encourage residents to be our eyes and ears and to report faults via City’s service channels,’ said Alderman Limberg.
Ongoing streetlight infrastructure vandalism in Elsies River - Let’s ACT to protect our power!
‘While visiting our LED streetlight upgrade project in Avonwood Road, we also assessed areas that are repeatedly affected by streetlight vandalism. In 35th Avenue, criminals have vandalised our streetlight infrastructure extensively and have cut down a number of streetlight poles.
‘These ongoing criminal acts not only damage our critical community infrastructure but also has an impact on residents and road user safety. Streetlight vandalism affects us all – it drains City resources and we cannot accept it as normal in our communities any longer. Residents may report any suspicious acts near our streetlights to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the City,’ said Alderman Limberg.
Report suspicious behaviour to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre: 021 480 7700. The SAPS remains the lead authority in crime prevention.
End Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
