Safety considered with high-mast light installations

Video

GEORGE NEWS & VIDEOS - George Mayor Leon van Wyk, together with councillors and officials, happily ignored the rainy weather last week while out and about to officially switch on three of a total of 12 high-mast lights that have been installed in the Borcherds, Lawaaikamp and Parkdene area.

High-mast lights were put up in Nel Street (Borcherds), Ellen Vena Street (Lawaaikamp) and Circular Drive (Parkdene).

Van Wyk said the high-mast lights will serve to improve the security of the communities and will give light over about a 50 to 60 metre radius. He hopes every person in those communities will feel safer now with these installations, that switch on independently as soon as it gets dark.

Ward 8 Councillor Bazil Petrus thanked all involved in putting up the high mast lights and, with this, helping to combat crime. He said it will also assist the community to keep a close eye on cable theft and vandalism of the municipality’s resources and property.

At the switching on of a high-mast light in Ellen Vena Street, Lawaaikamp are, from left: Ward 7 Clr Vulindlela Mruqhli, Director of Electrotechnical Services Bongani Mandla, Mayor Leon van Wyk, Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services and Fleet Management Nosicelo Mbete, and Edward Nqumse of Electrotechnical Services.

According to Director of Electrotechnical Services Bongani Mandla, the main purpose of these installations is to address inadequate area lighting, as some of these high-density areas had low to no lighting.

“The absence of adequate lighting often leads to high risk associated with safety at night as well as potentially increased criminal activities. The George Municipality submitted several funding requests to address this very need and was ultimately successful in securing funding approval from the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) for the installation," Mandla said.

Another four high-mast lights are in the process of being installed and switched on in Parkdene, two more in Borcherds and three in the Lawaaikamp area, totalling 30 high-masts installed in the past few months. Mandla said his plea is for the community to continue to protect this essential infrastructure against theft and vandalism for the greater good of the community.