- Background: Why South Africa is different
- BEKA Schréder
- Betta Lights
- Genlux Lighting
- LED Lighting SA
- Rubicon South Africa
- Sinetech
- Leadsun South Africa (Distributor/Partners)
- Eurolux (Projects Division)
- Chinese OEM Channels via Local EPCs
- Comparison of Key Players
- Final Takeaway
- Work With SunlurioBackground: Why South Africa is different
South Africa is not short of roads or poles. It’s short of stable power. Load-shedding pushes cities to solar lighting so streets stay lit when the grid drops. Municipalities also face theft and vandal risk, so the real question is not “how bright?”, it’s “how long will it last here?”.
Budgets are tight, audits are strict, and bidders get scored on price + local content + SANS/IEC compliance. If your supplier can’t produce the paperwork (IP66/IK08, LM-80/LM-79, ISO 12944 for poles), you’ll bleed time in technical queries, or lose the award. Simple as that.
If you’ve worked with municipalities, you’ve seen BEKA Schréder on drawings. They’re a big name in road lighting and poles, with solar options and control gear. Strong compliance culture. Their gear isn’t cheap. But it’s solid, and they know public-sector paperwork inside out.
What they actually do: Complete street lighting systems, luminaires rated to IP66/IK08, pole engineering, lighting design files (IES), and controls. For solar, they match LED optics with battery and PV sizing that hits South African night hours and dimming profiles.
Why buyers pick them: Technical submittals are clean. Lighting calculations are professional. Support during review meetings helps a lot when the engineer asks tough questions.
Case Example: In 2023 a coastal municipality upgraded ~300 intersections and arterials to solar-ready LED with BEKA fittings and galvanized poles. The client reported fewer night outages during Stage 4–6 load-shedding and cleaner audit trails because the documentation was tidy.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Municipal track record, tidy compliance docs | Higher capex than most |
| Strong optics and durability | Longer lead time on custom poles |
| Good dimming/controls support | Not the cheapest per lumen |
A local specialist known for all-in-one solar street lights and area lighting. They focus on simple installs and quick rollouts. Less paperwork pain, which matters when a council wants to see lights on within a quarter.
What they actually do: Integrated solar luminaires (panel + battery + LED in one unit), pole packages, and anti-theft brackets. Designed for fast mounting and minimal cabling.
Why buyers pick them: Clear value for rapid deployments. Crews can install many units in a day. Helpful in townships and peri-urban roads where you don’t want long trenching or complex control boxes.
Case Example: In 2022 a Gauteng local council rolled out ~220 all-in-one units across feeder roads and taxi ranks. Install went fast; maintenance crew liked the swap-out model for failed heads.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Fast to install, low site work | Lower lm/W than top imported gear |
| Local support and spares | Battery packs smaller than modular systems |
| Good anti-theft fittings | Optics choices more limited |
Another South African name with deep road-lighting roots. Good at project-grade luminaires and pole packages. They supply to contractors that want less drama on SANS/IEC checks.
What they actually do: Street and high-mast luminaires, brackets, galvanized poles. For solar, they combine LEDs with battery cabinets or selected integrated heads. Decent selection of optics for main roads vs. walkways.
Why buyers pick them: Availability and local engineering support. When a clerk of works asks for a tweak to mounting height or bracket reach, Genlux tends to respond quickly.
Case Example: In 2024 a KZN district upgraded ~160 poles on school access roads. Genlux supplied luminaires and poles; a local EPC added the solar kits and cabinets.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Reliable local manufacturing/assembly | Solar battery integration often done by EPC |
| Good optics choices | System efficiency mid-pack |
| Quick bracket/pole tweaks | Documentation varies by project mix |
Design-led local manufacturer. Strong on custom housings, architectural poles, estates, campuses. They also deliver municipal kits when specs need a nicer look or bespoke brackets.
What they actually do: LEDs for street/area lighting, custom poles, powder-coat options, and project integration with solar kits. Handy for mixed estates where you want both function and form.
Why buyers pick them: Customisation. If the urban designer wants a look, they’ll build around it while keeping decent performance.
Case Example: In 2023 a Cape metro did ~90 units in a waterfront precinct: solar street/area mix, aesthetic poles, anti-corrosion coating for sea air. Visuals improved, complaints dropped.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Custom designs and finishes | Premium pricing for bespoke work |
| Good coastal coating options | Lead times longer on specials |
| Strong estate/precinct references | Pure performance not the highest |
Distributor and solutions house with a national footprint. If you need panels, batteries, charge controllers, and LED heads in the same PO, Rubicon is a safe bet. They also support EPCs on designs and logistics.
What they actually do: Sourcing of Tier-1 PV, lithium batteries, charge controllers, LEDs; basic design checks; container planning. They can pull stock across branches to meet a tight deadline.
Why buyers pick them: Availability and scale. For municipal rollouts, having one counterparty for multiple items simplifies procurement and delivery.
Case Example: In 2024 an Eastern Cape town sourced a ~250-unit bill of materials (PV/battery/LED heads/poles) via Rubicon plus a local pole fabricator. Short lead time kept the grant window.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| One-stop sourcing, national coverage | Not a manufacturer; brand/spec mix varies |
| Good logistics and after-sales routing | System design depth depends on branch team |
| Credit terms for vetted clients | You still manage multi-brand integration |
Long-time importer/distributor for solar power gear. They carry all-in-one street lights and separate component stacks. Popular with EPCs that want cost-effective stock and fair support.
What they actually do: Integrated solar street lights (various wattages), lithium batteries, charge controllers, and accessories. Provide datasheets and basic selection guidance.
Why buyers pick them: Competitive pricing, decent stock, many wattage options. Works for small towns and private parks.
Case Example: In 2023 a Limpopo council installed ~140 integrated units from Sinetech with local poles. Quick win before the financial year end.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Wide range, competitive price | Mixed origin; QC varies by batch |
| Datasheets and quick quotes | Limited deep engineering support |
| Good for small/medium rollouts | Warranty handling can be slower in peaks |
Leadsun South Africa (Distributor/Partners)
Leadsun (global brand) has SA representation via partners. The pitch is smart all-in-one with better optics and control profiles than low-cost imports.
What they actually do: Integrated luminaires with PIR/microwave sensing, scheduled dimming, larger battery options, and better optics for road classes.
Why buyers pick them: Balanced option between budget AIO and premium modular builds. Safer choice for main streets than generic AIO.
Case Example: In 2022 a Western Cape municipality put ~110 units on collector roads. Feedback: fewer dark spots vs. previous imports, and better night profiles.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Smarter profiles, better optics | Higher price than generic AIO |
| Consistent quality | Lead time if not in stock |
| Cleaner documentation | Limited heavy-mast options |
Consumer brand you see in retail, but they have a projects arm that supports estates, campuses, and some municipal work with pro-grade fittings and controls.
What they actually do: Supply LEDs, poles (via partners), and integrate with solar kits on request. Strong on volume supply and after-sales routing through their network.
Why buyers pick them: Easy vendor to work with, broad inventory, and acceptable paperwork for non-flagship roads and parks.
Case Example: In 2023 a Tshwane estate added ~75 solar street/park lights using Eurolux project fittings and partner poles. HOA happy with the look and cost.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Good availability and pricing | Not a pure municipal specialist |
| National network | Spec range narrower for heavy roads |
| Simple after-sales routing | Limited custom optics |
Chinese OEM Channels via Local EPCs
Plenty of local EPCs import Chinese OEM luminaires and AIO units directly (or via agents). Prices are sharp. You can win tenders on price. Risk is uneven quality and thin paperwork.
What they actually do: Container-scale imports of integrated or modular street lights, then add local poles and civil works. Quick to bid, quick to deliver if they keep stock.
Why buyers pick them: Lowest price per unit, simple offering, fast wins on smaller roads and ward projects.
Case Example: In 2024 a Free State council installed ~180 generic AIO units through a local EPC importing from an OEM in Shenzhen. Low capex, but two batches had different drivers, so spares management got messy.
Advantages vs Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Lowest capex | Variable QC; batch-to-batch changes |
| Fast delivery if stocked | Paperwork weaker (LM-80, IK tests) |
| Works for ward projects | Shorter warranty, service burden on EPC |
| Company | Strength | Typical Use | Example Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEKA Schréder | Municipal compliance & optics | Arterials, main roads | ~300 units coastal metro (2023) |
| Betta Lights | Rapid AIO rollout | Townships, feeder roads | ~220 units Gauteng (2022) |
| Genlux Lighting | Poles + luminaires, local tweaks | School access, district roads | ~160 poles KZN (2024) |
| LED Lighting SA | Custom look + coastal coatings | Waterfronts, estates | ~90 units CPT precinct (2023) |
| Rubicon SA | One-stop components & logistics | Multi-item municipal BoMs | ~250-unit BoM EC town (2024) |
| Sinetech | Budget AIO + stock depth | Small towns, parks | ~140 units Limpopo (2023) |
| Leadsun SA | Smart AIO, better optics | Collector roads | ~110 units WC (2022) |
| Eurolux Projects | Volume supply + support | Estates, campuses | ~75 units Tshwane (2023) |
| Chinese OEM via EPC | Cheapest per unit | Ward projects | ~180 units Free State (2024) |
| (Open Slot for EPC Partner) | Execution at scale | Province-wide rollouts | Framework contracts |
South Africa buys on price, yes. But the jobs that stick (and don’t boomerang back as faults) get three things right:
1) Paperwork: IP66/IK08, LM-80/LM-79, SANS/IEC ticked.
2) Poles: hot-dip galvanized, ISO 12944 coating where it matters (coastal, industrial).
3) Energy model: realistic autonomy (≥3 nights), not fantasy wattage.
- If you need zero-drama municipal submissions → BEKA Schréder, Genlux, LED Lighting SA.
- If you need fast installs → Betta Lights, Sinetech AIO, Leadsun SA.
- If your council wants lowest capex → Chinese OEM via a local EPC (but budget more O&M).
- If you need one PO for many items → Rubicon, Eurolux Projects.
If you want high efficiency (230 lm/W), long-life LiFePO₄ (6000+ cycles), and pole coatings that actually survive coastal towns, plus compliance docs that pass the engineer’s sniff test on the first round—bring Sunlurio into your bid team.
What we deliver to South African EPCs and municipalities:
- Compliance-ready packs: IEC/CE, LM-80/LM-79, photometry (IES), IP66/IK08, ISO 12944 pole reports
- High-efficiency LEDs: 230 lm/W options, dimming profiles for load-shedding windows
- Batteries built to last: LiFePO₄ 6000+ cycles, thermal design for SA summers
- Poles that survive: hot-dip galvanized, optional duplex coatings for C4/C5 environments
- No-surprises logistics: container plans, spares strategy, vandal-resistant brackets
👉 Don’t let load-shedding or paperwork kill your tender. Get a partner who has the files and the hardware to back them up.
