Cape Town is leading the way with new high-tech trucks that make fixing and replacing streetlights easier and faster.
These special trucks, called pole manipulator trucks, come with advanced technology that helps the City’s teams work more efficiently. Cape Town Metro is the first city to use these trucks.
“The City is responsible for maintaining over 245 000 streetlights. Some national and provincial roads, including on- and off-ramps, are taken care of by other agencies.
“To improve its fleet, the City is investing more than R63 million in new vehicles, including aerial platform trucks, crane trucks, and light motor vehicles,” says the City’s Mayco member for energy, Xanthea Limberg.
Recently, Limberg, and senior energy officials visited Bofors Circle Road in Epping to see how these advanced trucks work. During the visit, the team used the pole manipulator truck to replace an 11-meter streetlight that was damaged in an accident. Once the new streetlight was installed, the teams re-energised the streetlight network along that stretch of road.
Chris Jordaan, councillor of Ward 28 (which includes Epping and Ruyterwacht), said the new trucks will help improve streetlights in the Epping Industrial area.
Jordaan also pointed out that the truck reduces the need for manual labour, as it makes lifting and placing poles much easier. The City’s new 26-tonne truck is fitted with a strong crane, an advanced aerial platform, and various motorised tools. This allows teams to complete streetlight repairs and installations much quicker—often cutting the time by more than 50%. The truck can pick up, rotate, and place heavy loads of up to 4,5 tonnes. When fully extended, the crane can lift about 500 kilogrammes.
Safety is also a top priority with these trucks. They are designed to block electronic interference, ensuring smooth and secure operations. The trucks can also be controlled remotely, allowing crews to perform tasks from a safe distance. These features help keep workers safe while improving service delivery.
Trucks are crucial for:
• Improved response times and enhanced service delivery: specialised pole manipulator trucks assist teams with a large number of streetlight replacements across the city and can assist by reducing pole replacement turnaround times by up to 50%.
• Personnel safety: the technologically advanced safety features of the pole manipulator, including remote controlling of a number of its functions, enhances personnel safety by limiting exposure to potentially hazardous situations.
• Cost effectiveness: by reducing downtime, pole manipulator trucks contribute to long term cost savings for the City.
• Community wellbeing: a well-maintained streetlight network contributes to a safer environment for all.
• Log streetlight and other electricity faults online via the City’s service request platform.
