The City of Bulawayo is considering a major expansion of its street lighting network, with a Rwandan company proposing to install about 200 kilometres of new infrastructure across the city.
The project would be financed through a dedicated levy on residents if approved by council, with stakeholder consultations required before implementation.
The City’s acting director of works, Engineer Methuseli Dibidi, said the company had approached council with the proposal, which would first require approval from councillors and consultation with residents.
“The project would be financed through a dedicated levy to be charged to residents. Should Council approve the proposal, policymakers would need to undertake stakeholder engagement and sensitisation to secure residents’ support for the proposed levy,” said Eng Dibidi.
The proposed expansion comes as the city grapples with widespread street lighting challenges, with several existing lights remaining out of service for extended periods.
The issue has particularly affected the western suburbs, where some tower lights have reportedly been non-operational for more than five months, raising concerns over public safety.
Ward 25 Councillor, Aleck Ndlovu, said the western suburbs required urgent attention, warning that prolonged streetlight outages were compromising the safety of residents.
“Street lighting in the western suburbs requires urgent attention. Some tower lights have remained non-operational for a period exceeding five months. The prolonged outages are compromising public safety, particularly in light of the reported increase in incidents of mugging,” said Ndlovu.
Ward 5 Councillor, Octavius Nkomo, welcomed the development noting that council was struggling to meet stipulated timeframes for repairing and maintaining streetlights across the city, while communication on outstanding works remained inadequate.
“Council is struggling to meet the stipulated time frames for repairing and maintaining street lights across the City. There is inadequate communication of progress and status updates on outstanding projects,” said Nkomo.
If approved, the 200km project would significantly expand Bulawayo’s public lighting network and potentially improve safety and service delivery, although its implementation will hinge on council approval and residents’ acceptance of the proposed levy.
The proposed expansion comes as Bulawayo seeks to address persistent infrastructure and service delivery gaps, with the project offering a potential boost to public safety and urban development.
