The intersection of Christian de Wet and John Vorster roads in Radiokop has been without functioning traffic lights for almost three weeks now. During peak hour traffic it takes motorists more than 20 minutes to drive through the intersection as there are no consistent Metro Police traffic officers or Outsurance pointsmen regulating traffic.
Regular road user and Weltevreden Park resident Mpho Maphakela said that when there are no pointsmen at the mentioned intersection it is always chaotic and difficult to drive through. “It’s really a nightmare, especially in the evening, early mornings or when it is raining,” she commented.
Maphekela also said that there is an increase of accidents at that intersection since traffic lights stopped working. Logging a call with the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) two weeks before was a fruitless exercise, according to Maphakela. “They gave me a reference number and every time I call to check on the progress and reasons why the traffic light is not fixed I’m given a new reference number,” stated Maphakela.
Metro Police spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said the reason why some intersections don’t have officers allocated to them when traffic lights are not working, is because they have to prioritise other issues. “Sometimes an area may have many intersections with traffic lights out of order and therefore we allocate our officers where we can. At other times there are several accidents around the City which need the attention of the Metro Police. In some cases, accidents take priority over traffic lights that are not working,” explained Mamonyane.
She added that motorists should follow the rules of the road at all times. “When a traffic light is not working, it should be used as a four-way stop, and individuals should be cautious at all times.”
The JRA is still to comment on why it is taking so long to repair the mentioned traffic lights.
