No answers on the repair of Snake Road robots

For the past six months, tempers have flared and frustrations mounted as motorists face daily traffic congestion on Snake Road due to cable theft and damage to the infrastructure of traffic lights.

At the beginning of March, the traffic lights along the 4km stretch of road were vandalised, cut down at the base of the automated signal, and the cabling removed.

Melanie Kruger, a resident of Mackenzie Park, said that during March and April, traffic lights at seven intersections were damaged, with even the signal masts stolen.

“The ‘attack’ on the traffic lights started on Heron Street, shortly followed by the intersections of Tom Jones Street, Dewald Hattingh Road and Flamingo Avenue,” she said.

“In April, the traffic lights on Snake and Dewald Hattingh, Main Reef and New Modder roads, as well as Pioneer and Golden drives were rendered non-functional due to this.

“Traffic has come to a complete stand-still, with navigating peak hour an absolute nightmare.

“Some motorists simply speed through the intersections. This situation is becoming increasingly dangerous.”

Kruger noted that EMPD officials have been conducting point duties at some affected intersections. However, this has done little to ease congestion on a road which serves as a major arterial route for thousands of commuters and abnormal vehicles.

“To cut down on travelling time, many motorists now use Mackenzie Park to avoid congestion, which has resulted in our quiet suburb becoming a thoroughfare for hundreds of vehicles daily,” added Kruger.

“We have also noted a higher incidence of smash-and-grabs as motorists sit in gridlocked traffic.

“Criminals are practically walking away with our infrastructure while others prey on unsuspecting victims just trying to get to and from work.”

The Benoni City Times approached CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini for comment but was referred to the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport.

In his reply, Dlamini said the road falls under the ownership of the Gauteng Provincial Government and that the metro is unable to comment on how the matter of damaged and vandalised infrastructure will be addressed.

A media enquiry sent to the Gauteng Provincial Department of Roads and Infrastructure on October 11 has gone unanswered.

According to Captain Nomsa Sekele, the spokesperson for the Benoni Police Station and a regular user of Snake Road, the shattered glass littering the road clearly indicates that smash-and-grabs have become a common occurrence. However, she said an increase in reported cases has not been recorded.

“It may be that motorists are reporting cases at police stations closer to home rather than coming to our police station directly,” said Sekele.

“This directly impacts our crime statistics because crime prevention units do not have accurate numbers of incidents.”

During his first interview with the Benoni City Times, the newly appointed Benoni SAPS station commander, Brigadier Sudesh Sookraj, committed to ensuring that Vispol members are deployed to the area to conduct visible policing operations until the non-functional traffic lights matter is resolved.

Media liaison for the EMPD Lerato Monyane said that to the best of her knowledge, CoE engineers had contacted the provincial government to address the matter.

“Although responsibility for the road and its infrastructure falls under the provincial government’s department of roads and transport, the onus of safeguarding the infrastructure against vandalism and theft rests with the CoE,” said Monyane.

“Partnering with other law enforcement agencies, the EMPD will intensify its patrols to prevent further damage.”

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