Working alongside Eskom leadership, and Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), Soil to Soul Nursery owner Dean, as he wishes to be named, has taken a community-led approach by helping adopt and oversee the traffic infrastructure on his property.

Motorists travelling through the intersection of Witkoppen Road and Main Road are seeing traffic flow more smoothly. Dean said the intersection carries an estimated 63 000 vehicles daily and has experienced recurring outages over several years, often leaving motorists facing heavy congestion and safety risks. Rather than watching the situation worsen, he said he felt compelled to act.

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“Our goal was simply to come together as a collective and look after the infrastructure. It’s easy for people to complain, but we’re all affected by the situation, so we need to work together and find solutions that make everyday life a little better. Together with other stakeholders, we’re now helping to look after and maintain the traffic lights.”

The nursery now plays an active role in looking after the robot boxes and surrounding infrastructure, helping ensure the signals remain functional.

“We’ve added extra security and oversight, and having a visible presence helps prevent tampering with the traffic lights. That kind of interference often leads to safety risks and traffic delays. Our intention is simply to assist where we can and support the community.”

Dean, known among locals for his hands-on involvement in community matters, said simply being present helps protect the infrastructure and prevent further disruptions. “When robots are tampered with, it creates bigger problems, safety issues, and delays for thousands of people using this road every day.”

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The traffic lights’ problems were not caused by a single issue. Accidents that damaged nearby streetlights often disrupted electrical connections supplying the signals, leading to prolonged outages.

“I’d estimate the traffic lights were out for close to a year, although there had been ongoing disruptions for about three years before that. A big part of the problem was technical, the electrical supply was linked to nearby streetlights, and when accidents damaged those poles, it also affected the traffic infrastructure.”

He said support from Eskom played a key role in restoring stability, including efforts to establish improved electrical supply to the intersection. He also praised the professionalism of JRA’s contracting teams involved in the work.

For Dean, the decision to assist was rooted in a belief that businesses should contribute to the communities in which they operate.

“It’s just about helping the community where we can.”

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