Motorist will have to deal with non-functional traffic lights for a while.
For the past few days, Johannesburg motorist have been experiencing the burden of driving without functioning traffic lights.
It is alleged that this is due to a direct sabotage from the striking employees who could be tampering with the traffic lights – and those who are not striking have been intimidated.
“It is incredibly dangerous not to have working traffic lights. I fear for my life and I fear for my family’s lives every time when I cross an intersection,” said a concerned resident, Ashtyn Mackenzie who added that it has been the worst occasion not to have functioning lights.
Another resident said, “Traffic is a nightmare, a 15-minute drive to work in the morning takes me more than 30 minutes these days, it is quite annoying especially, at the intersection of Malibongwe and Bellairs drives.”
Johannesburg Road Agency’s managing director Skhumbuzo Macozoma said investigations are underway.
“We are in the process of investigating allegations of illegal tampering with traffic signal controllers causing the traffic lights to malfunction, which is increasing the number of faulty traffic signals across the City. This is done to alert non-striking technicians to the site for repairs whereupon intimidation takes place.”
The South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) JRA employees embarked on a strike on 27 February due to a dispute on three main matters, from an original 15, that Management and Samwu had not been able to reach consensus on.
