By Thandeka Goqo and Thobile Sangweni 
 
On 21 May 2024, the Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) was joined by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) in a meeting with residents’ associations and community forums to facilitate a partnership agreement to look after critical traffic lights in the area.
 
The meeting enabled local businesses to enter into a formal partnership agreement with the Department and JRA to provide backup power to traffic lights along provincial roads in the vicinity. The Adopt-A-Robot Campaign is aimed at reducing the impact the non-functional traffic signals have on communities. Thus, the Department, JRA and private partners have come to an agreement to deal with the issues.
 
It is primarily aimed at encouraging the sharing of information on issues related to traffic lights taking ownership in reporting of any defects that may be observed on the particular road. The Department has recorded a surge in traffic lights theft and vandalism in recent months with over R30 million spent in the past year (2023) alone. With over 400 of the signalized traffic intersections having been vandalized, this poses a threat to public safety, delays and inconvenience whilst leading to substantial costs to the Department.
 
Bakgoni consultant Erica Bergman said “non-working of traffic signals have caused a lot of traffic congestion which leads to significant delays as vehicles struggle to navigate intersections, particularly during peak hours.
 
Drivers may need to find alternative routes, leading to longer travel times and potentially more traffic on secondary roads”. She added that “without clear signals to manage traffic flow, the likelihood of collisions increases, particularly at busy intersections”. 
 
Lamenting the state of vandalism of critical infrastructure, Director: Stakeholder Management Mr. Mbali Seheri noted that “these acts of vandalism and theft not only disrupt the functioning of essential traffic signal services but also pose a threat to public safety”. He added the Department “has taken the interim measure of converting signalized intersections into four-way stops to enhance safety while actively seeking alternative and sustainable methods for maintaining traffic signals”. 
 
Parties have scheduled meetings to discuss areas of collaboration including the Service Level of Agreement (SLA)