Is the replacement of traffic lights at the N12/Snake Road on- and off-ramps an indication that the non-functioning traffic lights along the entire 4km stretch of the road will soon be repaired?

The spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE), Zweli Dlamini, said they sincerely hope so.

“However, the Gauteng Provincial Government’s Department of Roads and Transport, responsible for Snake Road, has not given us any indication whether other affected intersections will be rehabilitated.”

It has been more than two years since traffic lights at the N12, Heron and Tom Jones streets, Dewald Hattingh, Main Reef and New Modder roads, as well as Pioneer and Golden drives, were replaced with stop signs.

At the time, MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale Tlabela, said that investigations into the matter revealed vandalism at almost all the signalised intersections on one of the city’s major arterial routes, which runs from Brakpan to Benoni.

“Because of its remoteness and constant vandalism, these intersections might require the department to temporarily decommission the current traffic control measures and opt for stop junctions,” she said.

During a visit to the affected area in October 2023, the Benoni City Times found that vandals had removed the cables of the automated signals or cut the masts at the base and removed them entirely.

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On November 22, 2023, this publication again reported on the matter, after Ward 73 Clr Sipho Ngobese posted on the Mackenzie Park WhatsApp group that a decision had been taken to replace the traffic lights at the major intersections on Snake Road.

Dlamini confirmed that the information was correct, however, only the intersection of Dewald Hattingh Road had come back online.

Vandalism once again caused the traffic lights to become non-functional.

“We realise that the lack of functioning traffic signals has a far-reaching effect on motorists as well as their overall safety,” said Dlamini.

“Unfortunately, repair and replacement of traffic lights on Snake Road rests squarely at the door of the provincial government. We are continually raising these concerns with the relevant departments, highlighting the community’s plight to have the matter effectively resolved.

“We remain committed to seeing that the necessary infrastructural needs are addressed to the benefit of motorists.”

With the new traffic lights expected to come into service soon, Dlamini said security measures have been put in place to protect the newly rehabilitated intersections from falling prey to vandalism.

“We are not at liberty to say what measures have been put in place, but we hope that effective safeguarding of the infrastructure will prompt the provincial government to move swiftly in extending its maintenance programme,” he said.

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