“Service delivery is measured on the street, not in spreadsheets,” said Ward 106 councillor Chris Santana after countless escalations on traffic lights failures and delayed road reinstatements in Ward 106.
Santana said residents and motorists in Douglasdale continue to face increasing safety risks on the roads, while the city is not doing anything, only adding the word: escalation, on their spreadsheet.
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He said this during an on-site visit with the Fourways Review, on February 3, at the intersection of Hornbill Road and Nivern Avenue, where traffic lights have not been working for over 18 months and unfinished road reinstatements endanger motorists.
He noted that, four months ago he stood there with officials from Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and Johannesburg Water(JW), who promised to have the issues fixed within 30 days.
Months later, that promise still hasn’t been fulfilled.
Santana also explained that residents pay their rates and taxes with the expectation that essential infrastructure will function. Safe roads and reliable traffic signals are the foundation of a city that works, and they are non-negotiable.
He also noted that this is not the only intersection with a problem. The list includes traffic lights along other major routes, including Wessels Road and Gary Road. Particularly concerning are the signals on Leslie Avenue, between Douglasdale Shopping Centre and The Village Shopping Centre, which have been out for three years.
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In response to the concerns, JRA head of regional operations Khaya Gqibitole said: “The Hornbill Road and Nivern Avenue intersection was vandalised and requires upgrading. This is a priority four intersection. Due to budget constraints, priority two intersections are currently given priority.”
When asked the cause of the repeated traffic signal outages at these intersections, and whether long-term or preventative solutions being implemented, Gqibitole said: “Major signal challenges faced by JRA are power outages, which affect the functionality of the traffic light, and theft and vandalism of traffic signals infrastructure.”
However, Santana is still not happy with the response.
@caxtonjoburgnorth Standing at the Hornbill Road and Niven Avenue intersection, Ward 106 councillor Chris Santana highlights months-long delays in traffic light repairs, saying the ongoing issue continues to put residents and road users at risk. Video: Ayanda Ntshingila #caxtonlocalmedia #Localnews #News #SA #2026 #Community #servicedelivery #Government #Fyp #johannesburg #Fourways ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
“I will continue to escalate unresolved issues, monitor repairs on the ground, and use every available oversight mechanism to ensure Ward 106 receives the level of service delivery its residents deserve.”
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