Adopt-a-Robot gathers speed
Following a very positive meeting between the residents association, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, the Johannesburg Roads Agency and other stakeholders, the Adopt-a-Robot campaign seem to be back on track.
The highly anticipated Adopt-a-Robot initiative launched by residents associations (RAs) seems to be on track yet again.
After 13 months of effort, the Willowbrook, Ruimsig, Amorosa, and Poortview (WRAP) RA, in partnership with other RAs, managed to get the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) to respond to their request for a meeting to discuss this highly innovative project which is already bearing fruits in other areas like Sandton and Tshwane.
The meeting attracted widespread attention from national media houses, and even representatives from interested parties from as far as Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.
Among the speakers on the day was Erica Bernam from Bakgobi Engineering, who provided statistics on the cost of load-shedding and traffic accidents caused by load-shedding,
According to Honeydew Residents Association (HRA) deputy chairperson Minda Kruger, the meeting was fruitful and both JRA and the GDRT agreed to a follow-up meeting where draft service-level agreements for the project will be discussed, and hopefully concluded.
The Adopt-a-Robot campaign promises to bring massive relief from excess congestion due to load-shedding and local power failures, as it will see certain traffic lights, especially those along main routes, connected to the backup power supply of local companies.
Local RAs have managed to get numerous shopping malls and other businesses on board with the project over the past year. Unfortunately, dealings with the entities involved in this project have been rather slow.
“We anticipate a successful outcome and we appreciate our local businesses seizing the opportunity to contribute towards solutions to the challenges which our communities and citizens face daily,” says Kruger.
