WATCH: R554 and Swartkoppies intersection traffic light outage nightmare for motorists in Alberton
Various traffic lights in Alberton are either faulty or not working at all.
The Alberton Record has been inundated with calls, messages, and emails from concerned residents in Alberton about the state of the traffic lights system in this suburb.
Traffic lights are either faulty or not working.
Bianca van Rooyen, who lives in Brackenhurst, uses the R554 and Swartkoppies Road intersection daily on her way to work.
“The traffic lights on that intersection have been faulty or not working at all for months. I only started paying attention to them in November 2024. They were not working then and they are still not working. Accidents occur almost daily, never mind the traffic. It’s ridiculous,” said a frustrated Van Rooyen.
The deployment of Ekurhuleni traffic wardens does not seem to be helping the situation either.
The Alberton Record arrived at the same intersection minutes after an accident between two vehicles had been cleared, in the presence of the traffic wardens. It is unclear what exactly caused the accident. Nobody was injured.
These intersections are big business for towing companies due to daily car accidents.
The same problem persists on the R554 and Potgieter Street intersection, just opposite the BP petrol station.
Again, the Alberton Record stood at the intersection and observed vehicles slowly driving in opposite directions, and minutes after watching, two cars almost bumped into each other.
@albertonrecord Traffic lights on the intersection of the R554 and Potgieter, in #Alberton have not been working for months.
All the traffic lights at that intersection were not working and there were no traffic wardens. Motorists are left to decide for themselves who goes first.
Simphiwe Malunga of Stepping Stone Hospice, located on Ascot and Heidelberg Road, Newmarket Park, alerted officials of the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) about the same issue of faulty or traffic lights not working.
Malunga uses this intersection of Ascot and Heidelberg Road daily when travelling to and from work. He said the traffic lights on that intersection have been faulty for months.
Speaking to the Alberton Record on the impact of the malfunctioning traffic lights on Ascot and Heidelberg Road, Malunga said: “Traffic lights at this intersection have been non-operational, causing significant disruptions in traffic flow and increasing the risk of accidents.
The non-operational lights have led to confusion among drivers and pedestrians, and it has become a safety hazard for the community.
“On behalf of Stepping Stone Hospice, we kindly request that the city take immediate action to repair the traffic lights and ensure their proper functioning. Addressing this issue promptly will help prevent accidents and improve the overall safety and efficiency of our local roads,” added Malunga.
City officials seem to be aware of the issue of faulty and non-working traffic lights in Alberton and other parts of the metro.
In a press statement released on August 29, 2023, the city expressed concern about what it called high costs of replacing traffic lights which are mainly damaged through avoidable human actions such as vehicle accidents, theft, and vandalism.
“The city spent around R120m fixing and replacing traffic lights in the previous financial year that ended June 2022. In some incidents, damaged traffic lights will be replaced with stop signs due to limited funds,” read the statement.
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport also raised concerns about vandalism and theft targeting lights in the province.
@albertonrecord Motorists driving R554 and Swartkoppies intersection, in #Alberton have been complaining about traffic lights that have not been working for months.
“These acts of vandalism and theft do not only disrupt the functioning of essential traffic signal services but also pose a threat to public safety. These incidents contribute to increased downtime for traffic signals, resulting in an unfavourable user experience, road crashes, and substantial costs for the Department in rebuilding and replacing stolen equipment,” read the statement released on January 29, 2024.
CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini was quoted in the Alberton Record’s January 22, 2025, edition of the paper saying the city was trying to implement contingency measures while a permanent solution was sought.
“Although installing stop signs is a temporary measure, some intersections may permanently adopt stop signs. This process will be guided by the South African Road Traffic Signs Manual,” said Dlamini.
Dlamini did, however, commit to the city’s 24-hour turnaround time in responding to damaged or vandalised traffic lights and road signs. The municipality has called on the community’s involvement in trying to resolve these issues. Residents of the metro are urged to report traffic light problems to the city’s call centre on 086 054 3000.
