The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) says it continues to address road safety concerns and respond to emergencies affecting traffic signals across the City of Johannesburg, despite significant challenges posed by rampant vandalism and widespread power outages, particularly in the city centre.

Under its mandate, the JRA is tasked with installing, maintaining and repairing traffic signals throughout Johannesburg. It notes that dysfunctional traffic intersections not only disrupt service delivery but also pose a critical threat to road users’ safety.

The JRA oversees a vast network of 2 023 signalised intersections, comprising over 16 000 poles, 100 000 LED bulbs and 2 023 controller boxes.

“These components must function seamlessly at all times. However, the municipal entity currently faces more than 360 cases of vandalism and theft, with new incidents reported daily, ” the JRA says.

The agency notes that the extent of damage varies from cut poles to the removal of cables, significantly hampering operations.

It explains that the backlog of repairs owing to theft, vandalism and accidents exceeds R70-million, placing significant strain on the entity’s maintenance budget.

JRA CEO Zweli Nyathi says the primary contributors to malfunctioning traffic signals include technical faults, power outages, theft, vandalism and accidents.

“Globally, cities face similar challenges, but it’s up to us to develop solutions tailored to South Africa’s unique context,” he states.

The JRA, in collaboration with private-sector stakeholders and academic institutions, is actively exploring innovative solutions to mitigate these challenges.

“To address technical faults, the JRA has installed remote monitoring systems on more than 80% of our traffic light controllers. These systems detect and report over 90% of faults before they become apparent to the public, enabling faster responses.

“For power-related issues, the JRA has partnered with over 40 companies to connect traffic signals near their buildings to backup power supplies. To date, more than 80 intersections have been successfully linked, with plans to connect an additional 80 intersections by the end of June.”

Nyathi stresses that theft and vandalism not only target JRA infrastructure but also compromise State-owned Eskom and City Power cables, leading to prolonged repairs.

“If left intact and maintained regularly, a traffic light can last up to ten years. However, recurring theft and damage undermine this potential.”

To address this, the JRA, in partnership with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, has implemented measures to hold motorists accountable for accidents that damage traffic signals.

“Many incidents are caused by distracted drivers; those who are drunk, texting or talking on their phones,” Nyathi points out.

The JRA says its efforts to mitigate power outages through uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems have been hampered by theft.

Of the 1 400 UPS units installed at critical intersections, the agency notes that fewer than 15 remain operational, adding that solar panels have faced similar challenges.

Hence, alternative solutions, such as compact battery packs, are currently being considered.

Nyathi says that, despite these obstacles, the JRA remains committed to ensuring road safety and improving service delivery, adding that proactive measures, such as flood mitigation strategies, have already yielded positive results.