Joburg Faces R70 Million Traffic Light Crisis Amid Rampant Vandalism

The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has revealed that it requires over R70 million to repair all vandalised and stolen traffic lights across the city. The ongoing crisis has left residents and motorists battling hours of gridlock, worsening daily commutes.

Municipalities in Gauteng, including the City of Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, are also dealing with similar challenges, as theft and vandalism cripple critical infrastructure.

Residents Face Long Delays

Many key intersections across Johannesburg are now without functioning traffic lights, forcing drivers to endure delays of over 30 minutes during peak hours.

Beyers Naudé Drive is one of the hardest-hit areas, with multiple stolen and broken traffic signals causing severe congestion from Auckland Park to Randpark Ridge.

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“It’s been more than five years since the traffic lights in my area were stolen and vandalised,” said Thandeka Mduna, a Honeydew resident.

Mduna added that severe traffic jams persist, despite efforts to leave home early.

Alfred Boya, from Cosmo City, echoed these frustrations, citing Malibongwe Drive as another affected route.

“Sometimes the traffic lights work, sometimes they don’t. It’s very frustrating because it impacts our jobs,” he said.

JRA Battles Massive Infrastructure Damage

The JRA oversees 2,023 signalised intersections, but theft and vandalism have rendered hundreds non-operational.

More than 360 cases of vandalism and theft were reported last month alone.
The JRA manages 16,000 poles, 100,000 LED bulbs, and 2,023 controller boxes, all at risk.
200 warning signals were recently vandalised, according to Sipho Nhlapo, the JRA’s acting head of department for traffic lights.

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According to Nhlapo, the average cost to rebuild a stolen or vandalised traffic light is R500,000, bringing the total repair estimate to over R70 million.

To combat this crisis, the JRA is working with contractors to repair vandalised intersections and has launched a Request for Information to explore robust and smart infrastructure solutions.

However, power outages are also worsening the problem, as criminals take advantage of darkened intersections to steal cables and equipment.

“The absence of power makes it easier for theft and vandalism to take place,” Nhlapo explained.

Law Enforcement and the Way Forward

The JRA is coordinating with law enforcement agencies to address the problem, as theft and vandalism of traffic lights are criminal offenses under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act.

Additionally, City Power and Eskom face similar theft and vandalism challenges, further contributing to the city’s traffic chaos.

“We continue to liaise with power utilities to mitigate these issues,” Nhlapo said.

With mounting frustrations among residents and motorists, the pressure is on the JRA and local authorities to find a sustainable solution to Johannesburg’s traffic light crisis.

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