Lesetja Malope

The Polokwane Municipality seems to be taking its City of Stars slogan a bit too literally. Following the recent announcement about 14 solar panels fitted around the city and the Municipality’s constant call for residents to save electricity, it has itself of late wasted a lot of electricity by leaving more than a few street lights on all day long.

Several street lights in the city have recently been reported lit during broad daylight, including all the lights at the new stadium precinct.  Polokwane Observer observed street lights in Marshall Street between Church and Nelson Mandela Streets over a period of three days and noted that they were lit 24-hour around the clock despite bright sunlight on all the days.

Another disturbing observation, which the ratepayers will foot the bill for too, is the lights at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium which are also often left switched on during the day.

"We were taking a walk during broad daylight and we noticed that all the lights were on even at the parking lot." said a local resident who is also irked the wasteful tendency. The municipality’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Phuti Lekganyane said the lights are not currently all controlled from a central point but would be reconnected soon.

"After the WC there were lines which were removed and this has affected the operation of these lights from the Central Control System. We will be doing the reconnection in due course and the lights will be controlled from the same point," he said.