Gauteng motorists and pedestrians face heightened risks after it was revealed that only 77 of the province’s 196 broken traffic lights will be repaired due to budget constraints. This leaves 119 intersections with vandalised and nonfunctional signals, increasing the chances of road accidents, hijackings, and muggings.
Funding Shortfall Hampers Repairs
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Logistics has set aside an additional R80 million to address the issue, but the amount falls far short of the R176.4 million required to restore all damaged units. Of the 547 traffic lights owned by the department, more than a third are currently out of service. The remaining faulty lights will only be repaired if further funding becomes available.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, confirmed that the primary cause of the outages is vandalism, with criminals targeting the copper wiring for resale at scrap yards. While she has begun talks with the Treasury for additional resources, opposition parties are calling for stronger action, including exploring public-private partnerships to fund repairs and prevent future damage.
Opposition Calls for Urgent Action
The Democratic Alliance (DA) criticised the department for consistent underspending in recent years, returning unutilised funds to Treasury despite ongoing infrastructure challenges. They urged the MEC to reprioritise existing budgets toward urgent safety needs such as traffic light repairs.
Securing Critical Infrastructure
The DA also called for collaboration between the Department of Roads and Logistics and the Gauteng Department of Community Safety to secure vulnerable intersections. They propose a long-term partnership with the private sector to ensure both the maintenance and protection of the province’s critical infrastructure.
Related article: Gauteng Roads in Crisis: 65% of Network Plagued by Potholes and Faulty Traffic Lights
