Criminals vandalise streetlight causing darkness in neighbourhoods across South Africa

Vandalism of streetlight infrastructure is a growing problem in South Africa, leaving neighbourhoods in darkness and placing residents at greater risk of crime.

This is a widespread crime affecting metros such as Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as smaller municipalities across all nine provinces.

It poses significant challenges to municipal budgets, public safety, and urban service delivery, as there is often no money to replace streetlights.

There are two reasons for this crime: high-value metal and component theft, and facilitating secondary crimes.

Criminals steal underground and aerial bundle cables to sell copper on the illicit scrap metal market.

Another lucrative market is the timing devices and circuit breakers inside feeder boxes, which are regularly targeted. 

LED light heads, aluminium fittings, and metal poles are also stripped for scrap or secondary market sales.

Criminals also benefit from plunging corridors, residential streets, and informal settlement borders into darkness.

Criminal syndicates intentionally sabotage lighting to create cover for hijackings, muggings, and residential break-ins.

Municipal entities like City Power in Johannesburg and the City of Cape Town allocate millions of Rands annually to replace vandalised public lighting.

These funds are diverted from expanding services or upgrading ageing infrastructure, which, in turn, causes service delivery problems.

Vandalism of streetlight infrastructure across Dihlabeng

An example of this crime comes from the Dihlabeng Local Municipality, a government area in the Free State.

The Dihlabeng Local Municipality features the towns of Bethlehem, Clarens, and Fouriesburg.

There is growing vandalism of streetlight infrastructure across Dihlabeng, which has reached such concerning levels that the Democratic Alliance (DA) had to step in.

The party has written to the Provincial Director of Public Works requesting urgent intervention to address the issue.

“The destruction of public infrastructure is leaving communities in darkness, placing residents at greater risk of crime and costing taxpayers millions,” it said.

It said that several streetlight poles have recently been broken open, and electrical wiring has been cut or removed.

As a result, large sections of the area are now left in darkness, creating a serious safety and crime risk for residents.

“Information received by the DA indicates that this is not an isolated incident, but a growing problem affecting many parts of the municipality,” it said.

In some cases, cables are not stolen but cut, suggesting that deliberate sabotage may also contribute to the destruction of municipal infrastructure.

“Dark streets are unsafe streets. They increase crime, place pedestrians and motorists at greater risk, and leave communities feeling vulnerable,” it said.

“Every act of vandalism ultimately costs taxpayers money. Funds that should be used to improve services are instead being spent repairing damaged infrastructure.”