Durban - STREETS in other cities and Durban homes are fully lit with Christmas lights, but the eThekwini Municipality is lagging behind.
The festive season has officially begun, but the Christmas lights traditionally installed along Dr Yusuf Dadoo (Grey) and Dr Pixley KaSeme (West) streets in the Durban city centre have just started to be put up.
Only a number of Christmas stars can be seen along Dr Pixley KaSeme Street.
In Cape Town, Adderley Street was illuminated by Christmas lights during the Festival of Lights and locals embarked on a parade of the street, admiring the city’s lights, on Sunday.
In Joburg, the Festival of Lights at the Zoo made a return on Sunday and will continue to January 5.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the city was in the advanced stages of preparation for the festive season.
The city hoped the lights would be on by next week Friday.
“There is nothing untoward about the city’s Christmas lights not being on at the present moment and we hereby make an undertaking that on December 13 lights will be on,” Mayisela said.
“We have got very experienced personnel when it comes to Christmas lighting and we are confident that they will discharge their responsibilities in accordance with the expectations of our residents and tourists like in all previous years.”
Vasu and Lallie Munsamie’s Somerset Drive home in Somerset Park in uMhlanga has become a local attraction over the past 10 years. Their Christmas lights have already been switched on and locals are enjoying the decorations.
Meanwhile, the municipality says it has made better arrangements this year for the festive season along the beaches and in the city.
Mayisela said the city had organised three shifts for street cleaning and collection of waste.
The city had also engaged 12 contractors for litter-picking at municipal beaches. Beach-cleaning services would be increased - 86 seasonal general assistants, together with 48 permanent staff, would work on a 24-hour basis. All ablution facilities would close at 10pm, with the exception of those at the central beaches. These would be open 24 hours.
“We recently procured 11 new Malibu boards as well as new surf skis that will be used by our lifeguards to respond to emergency situations. Most of these are assigned to the central beaches,” Mayisela said.
This year the city has employed 40 childminders, who will work from 6am to 6pm. They will place wristbands on children in case they are separated from their families. “A holding facility has been set up at the Claire Ellis Brown School near Addington Beach where lost children and those needing accommodation overnight will be placed,” said Mayisela.