Sandton Central and JRA at the vanguard of traffic light secondary power
Amid Johannesburg’s ongoing power challenges, a trailblazing public-private partnership in Sandton Central is lighting the way by ensuring traffic lights stay on during outages with 32 intersections now fully powered by secondary sources.
In a landmark partnership between the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and the Sandton Central Management District (SCMD), all 32 traffic light intersections within Sandton Central are now equipped with secondary power solutions, ensuring traffic signals remain functional during power outages.
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Launched in May 2023 with financial services giant Investec as the inaugural corporate partner, the initiative has rapidly expanded thanks to the enthusiastic participation of Sandton’s business community.
SCMD manager Elaine Jack said, “This initiative allows for the redesign of signal wiring by JRA and secondary connection to power backup, whether solar, generator or UPS, from the corporate partner’s nearest adjacent property.”
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He added that the project not only improves safety and reduces traffic congestion during outages but also reflects a progressive shift in how urban infrastructure can be bolstered by private sector support. “We are enormously proud that this was first implemented in Sandton Central. It sets a new benchmark for urban resilience and community collaboration.”
Since its inception, the initiative has grown well beyond Sandton. Inspired by its success, 131 intersections across Johannesburg now benefit from similar systems, with another 33 scheduled to be completed within the current financial year.
JRA CEO Zweli Nyathi said, “This partnership is a prime example of what we can achieve when we work together to solve complex urban problems. It proves that by pooling resources and expertise, we can create smarter, safer, and more efficient road networks for all.”
The traffic light secondary power partnership in Sandton Central attracted strong participation from corporates in the urban node, including Nedbank, Sasol, Growthpoint, Discovery Ltd, Old Mutual, Liberty Group Limited and Pareto, RMB, Southern Sun, Redefine Properties, Momentum, Investec, Santam, Zenprop, Legacy, Blue Label, Netcare and The Cavaleros Group.
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