City attends to more than 9 500 streetlight related requests between June and July

13 August 2026

The City’s Energy teams attended to 9 572 streetlight-related service requests between 26 June and 25 July 2026. The City thanks residents for their support and patience while we repair streetlights across the metro.

The City attended to 32 795 overall electricity service requests, which includes the 9 572 streetlight service requests between June and July this year. Between May and June 2026, we attended to 40 178 overall service requests, including 15 286 streetlight related requests. 

‘The decrease in service requests between June and July compared to the May to June period was driven by the decrease in requests following the severe storm earlier in the year.

‘The City’s Area East recorded the highest number of streetlight-related service requests attended to, with a total of 4 092. Area East includes Helderberg, Oostenberg, Bloemhof, and Parow. Area South recorded the second highest number of service requests at 3 268, while Area North recorded 2 171 streetlight requests, during the same period.

‘Our teams continue to work incredibly hard to attend to all electricity service requests across all areas of the city while the investment and upgrades of our electricity infrastructure is ongoing. The largest component of the City’s capital investment through our Energy Directorate is the over R6 billion in electricity grid upgrades and clean energy procurement to prepare Cape Town’s infrastructure for a dynamic, decentralised energy future. This includes a R1bn investment in streetlights over the next three years. Some R165 million is earmarked to replace ageing streetlights with energy efficient LED technology.

‘The City thanks residents for their support while our work continues and we ask residents to assist us in our fight against vandalism and theft of our streetlight infrastructure. Swift reporting will enable the City to act with speed to prevent extensive damage in our communities,’ said 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. 

 
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 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