The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) continues to tackle 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.
The JRA manages a network of 2,023 signalised intersections, comprising over 16,000 poles, 100,000 LED bulbs, and 2,023 controller boxes. These components must always function seamlessly. However, the municipal entity currently faces over 360 cases of vandalism and theft, with new incidents reported daily. Damage ranges from cut poles to cable removal, significantly hampering operations. The backlog of repairs due to theft, vandalism, and accidents exceeds R70 million, placing significant strain on the entity’s maintenance budget.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the JRA, Zweli Nyathi, highlights the main contributors to malfunctioning traffic signals as 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,” Nyathi says.
The JRA, in collaboration with private sector stakeholders and academic institutions, is actively exploring innovative solutions to mitigate these challenges.
The JRA has also installed Remote Monitoring Systems (RMS) on more than 80% of its 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 emphasised that theft and vandalism affect not only JRA infrastructure but also Eskom and City Power cables, leading to prolonged repairs. “If left intact and maintained regularly, a traffic light can last up to 10 years. However, recurring theft and damage undermine this potential.”
To counteract this, the JRA, in partnership with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), has introduced 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 adds.