Pointsmen point in the right direction
JMPD pointsmen were recruited and deployed to alleviate traffic congestion in the City of Johannesburg.
Traffic can be such a drag in the mornings, especially for individuals who want to get to work on time without having to experience slow traffic or those who choose to not obey the rules of the road.
Many traffic lights around the city are not working, causing traffic disruptions and congestion at important intersections, particularly during peak hours. Fortunately, the JMPD saw it fit to assist with the growing challenges of load-shedding, cable theft, and vandalism of critical infrastructure by pointing us in the right direction.
These difficulties have also drawn unauthorised individuals in charge of traffic, which has consequences for accountability and safety.
On January 18, the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Safety, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, and senior officials of the JMPD and the Public Safety Department unveiled 200 newly appointed JMPD Traffic Pointsmen.
The JMPD has hired and dispatched pointsmen to manage traffic in impacted locations to ease these problems and guarantee a smooth flow of traffic. The goal of this project is to reduce the number of disturbances brought about by problems with power and attempts by unauthorised people to manage traffic.
The pointsmen have been stationed around the city, and it’s not hard to spot them with their shiny eye-grabbing attire and white gloves. Their responsibilities include managing traffic at peak hours, helping children cross the street at busy crossings, and supervising traffic during special occasions. To further assist the JMPD and OUTsurance/ Traffic Freeflow in managing traffic throughout the City of Johannesburg, these pointsmen will be hired.
Each pointsman has a morning shift at each allocated area from 06:00 to 09:00 to help manage the traffic congestion, followed by an afternoon shift when individuals either go for lunch or knock off from work.
“For the sake of everyone using the roads safely and effectively, we implore the community to work with the JMPD pointsmen and follow their instructions. Furthermore, we are proactively collaborating with pertinent authorities to tackle the fundamental problems that are producing these disturbances. The security and welfare of our neighbours continue to be our top priorities,” said Superintendent Xolani Fihla, spokesperson for the JMPD.
