Dysfunctional R40 traffic lights at Penryn intersection in Mbombela a frustration for motorists
The traffic lights have been off for more than two months due to a substation that was damaged.
The City of Mbombela (CoM) blames the more than two month-long dysfunctional traffic lights on the R40, at the Kiaat Private Hospital-Penryn intersection, on a damaged mini-substation which supplies power to these traffic lights.
Motorists have urged the CoM to speed up the process.
We are in the process of repairing the damaged sub. I cannot reveal a time frame for now but it will be fixed soon. We are not sure who damaged it. The municipality is also calling on the public to play their role in protecting the infrastructure,” Joseph Ngala, the CoM spokesperson, said.
He apologised for the inconvenience, but said traffic officers are deployed to the intersection during peak hours.
“This is just a temporary measure while a permanent solution is under way.”
However, some road users told Lowvelder that traffic officers are only deployed in the mornings. In the afternoon, without their presence, traffic becomes severely congested.
Deon Grobler said the problem could have been resolved in one week, but claims the municipality does not care. “We are now in the second month since the traffic lights stopped working. I welcome the deployment of traffic police in the morning, but motorists need also them in the afternoon,” he said.
Tricia Steyn said she cannot understand why it takes more than a month to repair traffic lights on a busy road such as the R40.
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The traffic was already congested before the lights stopped working, now its worse.”
She also called on the municipality to speed up the process to repair the traffic lights.
Steyn suggested that the CoM asks for help from Sanral as it has taken over maintenance of the R40.
Ngala insisted the traffic lights are receiving attention and requested motorists to be patient.
