JRA addresses traffic light vandalism issue in the city
The utility addressed the alarming rise in traffic light vandalism and how it affects the infrastructure in Johannesburg.
The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and the Gauteng Department of Road and Transport (GDRT) held a media briefing on July 14 at the Brixton Multipurpose Centre to discuss the ongoing issues of traffic light vandalism and theft in the city.
Sipho Nhlapo, head of department at Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), highlighted the scale of the challenge, stating: “We are managing a lot of components in our network, whether it is a switch or a cable. We keep adding more things on the road because we are facing problems with vandalism and theft.”
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He emphasised the critical role traffic lights play in facilitating emergency services and enhancing road safety. “This city is very complex in terms of the number of vehicles we are dealing with. If everyone abides by the law, safety improves in our road network.”
Nhlapo pointed out that the theft of infrastructure is not a service delivery failure, noting that newly installed traffic lights can be vandalised within weeks. “For example, we built a traffic light on Malibongwe Drive, and within two weeks, it was gone. We built an intersection there, and again, all the cables were taken.”
To combat these challenges, JRA has established partnerships with private companies to help power some of the traffic lights. Nhlapo identified three key issues affecting traffic lights: Technical faults, vandalism, and power supply. He stressed the importance of collaboration with law enforcement to address vandalism effectively.
JRA CEO Zweli Nyathi highlighted the significance of surveillance and community reporting in tackling these issues. “As government officials, we need to fix this problem. Reporting has assisted us as part of active citizenry, which will improve our turnaround times.” He acknowledged that vandalism hampers the agency’s ability to meet agreed-upon service standards and turnaround times.
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