AfriForum helps Waterkloof area with new street lights after residents raise R150 000
AfriForum this week helped residents of the Waterkloof Palms Estate to light up and secure their residential area after their streetlights had been out of order for about six years. The civil rights organisation oversaw the replacement of 42 streetlights in the area after this community raised nearly R150 000 for the project.
The streetlights, located in High Street and Dam Road, were replaced over the past three days with working lights that shine at 10 000 lumens. This type of light complies with the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality’s standards for streetlights; provides a wide, bright beam designed to make road signs and pedestrians clearly visible; and uses very little electricity.
AfriForum facilitated the project as part of its memorandum of understanding with the Tshwane Metro. This authorises AfriForum to tackle various challenges relating to the security and protection of property and the environment in the Metro.
Maree van den Berg, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Pretoria South, says residents were tired of waiting for the Metro to replace the streetlights, so they decided to do something about it themselves.
“For years, the area had been shrouded in darkness and, without working streetlights, the risk of break-ins and armed robberies was very high. Working streetlights not only help motorists drive in poorly lit areas, but also serve as an important deterrent to criminals,” he says.
According to the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) latest crime statistics, most property-related crimes in Pretoria for the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year occurred in the Brooklyn police precinct. Waterkloof falls within this precinct, where a total of 390 cases, including break-ins and vehicle theft, were reported.
“Dark streets are unsafe streets. Residents are tired of having to ask for basic services, so civil society is now systematically taking over this function,” Van den Berg concludes.
