Residents of Sunninghill in Bulawayo are considering raising their own funds to install street lights after a series of thefts and robberies raised concerns about security in the Bulawayo suburb.
Residents said several parts of the suburb become dark at night, making it difficult for people returning home from work to move around safely.
Some residents said they now try to get home before dark because of fears of being targeted by criminals.
Sekai Mhlanga of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) urged residents to take precautions, including avoiding unnecessary movement at night and keeping information about their routines private.
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“We are advising residents to come home early due to the lack of street lights. Most of the thieves that rob people are people who will be knowing your routine, including what time you get home. In some cases, one should always keep information to themselves. We advise residents to keep their lives private. If one is going to the bank, they should not inform their neighbours when they are going. Even when they are travelling long distances, they must not inform their neighbours when they are going and when they will be coming back, as this will cause more attraction to thieves,” said Mhlanga.
Resident Clemancia Ncube said the lack of street lighting had become a serious concern for people travelling home in the evenings.
“The issue of street lights is now a serious concern because when it gets dark, residents are afraid to walk around. Some people are being robbed when they are coming back home from work, and we believe that having street lights would make the area safer,” said Ncube.
Tracy Mpofu said residents were also worried about leaving their homes unattended following reports of house break-ins.
“We have had cases where people leave their homes and when they come back, they find that someone has broken into the house. We need street lights because criminals take advantage of the darkness, and residents are no longer feeling safe,” said Mpofu.
Another resident, Mandla Siziba, said residents were prepared to raise funds for street lights rather than wait for the council to install them.
“We cannot continue living in darkness when we know that the darkness is making it easier for thieves to operate. If residents can come together and install street lights, it will help us to improve security in the area,” said Siziba.
Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart said residents could approach the council to seek approval to install the lights using their own funds.
“Residents need to formally approach BCC through the office of the Town Clerk. I think that our policy will be to allow residents to raise their own funds, subject to approval being given regarding the location of lights, the support of the entire community and approval of the type of lights to be used,” said Coltart.
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