July 15, 2026
In partnership with Wakanda, the Signify Foundation brought solar streetlights to Alexandra Township, giving residents of one of Johannesburg’s largest urban communities safer streets and shared spaces after dark.
Alexandra Township is one of Johannesburg’s most established urban communities, with a dense network of residents, traders, and daily routines that begin well before sunrise. Public lighting had not kept pace with that life. Without reliable light after dark, streets felt less safe, shared spaces went unused, and the informal businesses that form the backbone of the local economy had to close when the sun went down.
Building on two earlier phases of collaboration, the Signify Foundation worked with Wakanda, a community-rooted organisation based in Johannesburg, to install solar streetlights across Alexandra’s wards. Installation was carried out by local youth, ensuring the project created both light and local ownership from the start.
"Light is like oxygen. You don't think about it when it's there... you only realise how important it is when it's gone."
