It costs up to R300k to replace vandalised traffic lights, reveals City of Joburg
The City of Joburg says more than 2,000 intersections are signalised by traffic lights and road signs across the metro.
Traffic Light, pedestrian crossing / Pixabay: AJEL 1024768 1280
JOHANNESBURG - The City of Joburg has revealed that it now costs up to R300,000 to repair a vandalised traffic light, as additional funds are required to make them more resistant to damage.
The city has been scrutinised for failing to promptly repair traffic lights, leading to traffic at several major intersections.
The government says there’s a new syndicate targeting copper wires used in traffic lights.
The City of Joburg says more than 2,000 intersections are signalised by traffic lights and road signs across the metro.
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Joburg Mayor Dada Morero says traffic lights and road signs at 250 of the intersections have been vandalised.
“To address these issues, the JRA [Joburg Roads Agency] has committed to fixing 17 critical provincial intersections. The remaining intersections will be addressed in line with budget allocations provided by the provincial government.”
Joburg Roads Agency’s head of mobility and freight, Sipho Nhlapo, says it’s become more expensive to repair traffic lights.
“We have also started to put some of the cables in underground so that the cable is far away, so they will have to dig deeper. On top of that, we add cement and concrete. So now a traffic light that costs us R100 000 to fix, it’ll cost us R200 000 or R300 000.”
He says intersections with faulty traffic lights will be the city’s priority.