Strandfontein crime-fighters have vowed to fight the City of Cape Town’s decision to not replace lighting along Baden Powell Drive.
The decision to backtrack on a promise made by former Mayor Dan Plato to improve lighting on the notorious coastal road has residents seeing red after two motorists were involved in crashes over the last week after large boulders were placed in the road by skurke.
Several bodies have also been dumped along the coastal road in the past two years.
Community Police Forum chairperson, Sandy Schuter says: “This past week we have found two cases where large boulders were placed in the road and two motorists had near fatal incidents.
“The skelms are using this dark road to get motorists to stop so they can mug them.”
Mayco member for Energy, Beverley van Reenen says the City has looked into the lighting options in this area: “After consideration, a decision has been taken to not replace streetlight lamps at this time due to the repeat cases of vandalism and the continued replacement of infrastructure being unfeasible. Furthermore, there aren’t many residential dwellings in that particular area.”
Meanwhile, Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says R5 million has been made available for communication infrastructure and CCTV cameras along Baden Powell Drive, between the N2 and Sunrise Circle in Muizenberg.
“The City is looking at six to eight cameras along this stretch of roadway.
“The project is ongoing, with expected completion by the end of the current financial year.”
But Schuter says while they welcome the CCTV cameras, they are confused.
“How does that make sense? If you cannot protect the lighting from vandalism how will you protect the cameras?
“Also how will the cameras pick up anything when the whole area is pitch black?
“We are not leaving it like this and we will mobilise all residents and the (hundred of) motorists who use that road daily to fight the City on this.”