Homeless men tackle traffic
SANDTON - 4 homeless men are helping to direct traffic on William Nicol Drive and Sandton Drive.
The intersection of William Nicol and Sandton Drive is a known traffic hot spot, especially when power outages, heavy rainstorms or road accidents damage the traffic lights.
With recent rains and power outages affecting the intersection, traffic has been horrendous, especially during peak traffic hours. With no Metro police in sight, a group of homeless young men who live in the area have taken matters into their own hands to direct the traffic and help ease the congestion.
The Sandton Chronicle met up with the young men who have risked their own safety to help the road users of Sandton. “When we saw the large volume of traffic caused by the dead robots, my friends and I decided to help out,” said Mike Stevens.
The four young men worked in teams to direct the flow of traffic. “We see accidents and anger at these robots every day. We don’t have any training, but the people in cars understand us. Some of them even thank us,” said Vuyo Vilakazi, who sleeps in a field close to the intersection.
To the people working in the Sandton CBD, this group of good samaritans has been a godsend. “Before these guys started directing traffic, I would sit and wait at this intersection for over 30 minutes. They have done a great job,” said a motorist who wanted to stay anonymous.
The young men who can be found hanging around the intersection have pleaded with members of the public to provide them with any old shoes and other clothing items to make their lives a bit more comfortable.
The Metro police could not be reached at the time of writing.
https://twitter.com/TrafficSA/status/922433631905337344
