Neglect of traffic lights a major concern in the Northside
A petition has been launched to demand traffic lights on Hendrik Potgieter and Christiaan de Wet roads to be fixed.
Motorists face a daily struggle on Hendrik Potgieter Road and surrounding areas, with traffic lights not operating and neglected infrastructure putting their lives at risk.
Members of the Willowbrook, Ruimsig, Amorosa and Poortview (WRAP) Residents Association issued their complaints in early January on their community WhatsApp groups, complaining about the traffic lights not being attended to since 2023.
This further escalated when more residents issued their complaints on various social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. According to ward councillor Zoné Hughes, the situation has become so dire that inordinate amounts of traffic lights increase the chances of accidents, making roads more hazardous for both motorists and pedestrians.
Hughes and the DA have issued a petition calling on Gauteng municipalities and the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport to prioritise traffic light upkeep and infrastructure investment.
“I understand the growing frustration regarding the continuous failure of traffic lights along Hendrik Potgieter and Christiaan de Wet, which is one of the busiest roads in the Northside area. In addition, the majority of the major routes in Gauteng are affected with the same problem and unfortunately, are not being taken seriously,” Hughes explains.
Hughes further escalated these concerns to the provincial legislature and has requested that they submit an official report regarding the state of these traffic lights to the Transport Committee.
The petition is launched to demand that the municipal entities act on their mandate and fix these traffic lights urgently. Residents are urged to continue reporting faulty traffic lights and damaged infrastructure through the appropriate channels and to sign and share the petition,” Hughes adds.
The Roodepoort Northsider has contacted the spokesperson for the Johannesburg Roads Agency and the communication officer for the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport for comment. A response will be given in a follow-up article.
