Johannesburg Roads agency states Wynberg traffic lights are low priority
Johannesburg Roads Agency says widespread cable theft and vandalism have left more than 300 traffic signals across the city damaged, with the Wynberg intersection of Chadwick Avenue and 5th Street rating a priority four, so falling behind more important fixes.
Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has confirmed that there is still no date for repairs to the faulty traffic lights at the intersection of Chadwick Avenue and 5th Street in Wynberg, more than a year after residents and businesses first raised concerns.
The update follows complaints from Ward 91 councillor Andrew Stewart and Wynberg Business Improvement District (WBID) member Sam Maluleke, who recently highlighted the prolonged outage.
Stewart said the lack of functioning traffic lights continues to affect motorists and businesses, while Maluleke said he has been reporting the issue since 2024 without success. He also noted that one of the traffic light poles fell over and has never been replaced, leaving only three traffic lights at the intersection.
Read more: Joburg Water responsible for repairs to damaged Wynberg road, says JRA
Responding to questions, acting head of department: mobility and freight Sipho Nhlapo said the agency is battling widespread theft and vandalism of traffic signal infrastructure across Johannesburg. “JRA currently has more than 300 traffic signals with stolen or vandalised equipment. We attend to the highest priority intersections first, which are major arterials. The Chadwick Avenue and 5th Street intersection is classified as a priority four intersection, which falls under secondary arterials. As a result, there is currently no date for repairs.”
He added that motorists should treat non-functioning traffic signals as four-way stops. “Where all traffic signal equipment has been stolen, the JRA’s road signs and markings unit is normally requested to install stop signs as a temporary safety measure.”
According to the agency’s maintenance records, the intersection has experienced repeated theft and vandalism. A report dated October 23, 2024, indicates that cables were stolen and one of the traffic light poles was vandalised. The records also show a loss of power to the intersection, with partial recabling still required before the traffic lights can be restored.
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Nhlapo added that the Wynberg area remains a high-risk hotspot for theft and vandalism of traffic signal equipment, which continues to delay repairs and place additional strain on the agency’s maintenance programme.
JRA said the intersection will be repaired once higher-priority traffic signals across the city have been attended to.
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