Gauteng Roads Department and private sector’s Adopt and Protect a Robot campaign to fix traffic lights
The department is working with the private sector to address the challenges of vandalism, theft, and drunk drivers crashing into traffic poles, which has resulted in a significant number of non-functional traffic lights.
Imagine a Fourways where traffic flows freely, roads are safe, and commuters arrive at their destinations right on time. Sounds like a pipe dream? The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, working alongside the private sector, has launched a campaign to adopt and protect traffic robots to ensure that traffic lights are regularly working.
Speaking to various stakeholders and community members on November 21 at Fourways Mall, Mohori Rhulani, from the department, said they are facing numerous challenges including drunk drivers crashing into traffic poles and theft.
Rhulani revealed that the department is responsible for managing approximately 400 traffic signals across the province. The City of Johannesburg alone boasts 261 traffic signals, with a number of them currently out of order.
Also read: An audit by the Gauteng Department of Roads and Logistics Gauteng reveals a traffic light crisis
He admitted that they are in a crisis because it affects the economy of the province, and that is why they started the Adopt and Protect a Robot campaign with private sector partners.
“To date there has been very good progress. We have a number of private sector partners who welcomed and embraced the campaign and are very much willing to assist the department in terms of resolving the challenges around traffic signals.”
He said they have already developed an app which the community can use to report matters around road safety such as potholes and non-functional traffic signals.
This app, called PotholeFixGP, is available for download on app stores.
“This concept forms part of the department’s commitment of leveraging on new technologies to assist on monitoring and maintaining traffic signals, potholes, and other effects that need urgent attention. The app seeks to enhance user experience and improve service delivery to the citizens of the province.”
Also read: Pothole claims are mounting in South Africa
He said the main issue for the department is that they have a high rate of project expenditure attributed to the replacement of stolen and vandalised infrastructure.
“Some of these items are control equipment, solar panels, underground cables, and transformers which are targeted by criminals.”
Rhulani added that the department has spent R30m in just three years to repair non-functional traffic lights, which is a lot. That is why they urged the community to work together with relevant stakeholders to take good care of the infrastructure.
“One of the plans to combat vandalism is hiring unemployed youth as official pointsmen who will be deployed to traffic signals that are not working, while waiting for them to be fixed. This will reduce vandalism because we know that some are intentionally vandalised so that people can solicit money from motorists.”
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Related article: There are 19 traffic lights not working in Fourways, but the province doesn’t have the money to fix them
