Traffic flow expected to improve as City reappoints pointsmen
In a statement, the City blamed the previous administration for cancelling this service which left many unemployed.
The distress and panic of navigating your way out of a congested intersection with malfunctioning traffic lights will soon be something of the past in the city.
This after the City of Johannesburg announced on 12 January the finalisation of a new agreement with Traffic Freeflow, a company responsible for the deployment of pointsmen across the city. In a statement, the City blamed the previous administration for cancelling this service which left many unemployed.
“The pointsmen, popularly known as the ‘Outsurance Pointsmen’ have been an inconvenient absence on our roads since 01 September 2019. Regardless of the service being provided at no cost to the City, this critical service was abruptly cancelled by the previous administration under former Mayor Mashaba. Over the last 15 months, our roads have been left unattended and with great inconvenience to residents during times of peak hour traffic and signal failures. This undoubtedly compromised the safety of residents on our roads,” Mayoral Communications director Mlimandlela Ndamase commented.
“Upon his election in December 2019, the Executive Mayor, Councillor Geoffery Makhubo, directed that the City move swiftly to finalise new agreements with the service providers, on terms that would guarantee the services at zero cost to the City, and the creation of job opportunities for the hundreds of young people who are trained to provide these services,” he added.
Makhubo weighed in by saying, “We are pleased that last month the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) trained 40 of the pointsmen who took up duty from 11 January alongside an additional 60 pointsmen who were part of the programme previously. They have been deployed to various regions throughout the city and soon there will be increased deployment of the static and mobile pointsmen.
“We urge residents to show the pointsmen courtesy and to cooperate with their instructions on our roads. They are there to assist with the smooth flow of traffic and to ensure we are safe on the roads at all times. We are beginning to see the fruits in our efforts to normalise the City after the disruption of the last four years,” he said.
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