Joburg, JRA, Vodacom team up to keep traffic lights on during load-shedding

The City of Johannesburg and Joburg Roads Agency (JRA) have partnered Vodacom to keep traffic lights working during load-shedding. 

The partnership comes amid public outcry over unofficial and untrained “pointsmen” taking up duties at intersections. Power to keep traffic lights operating will be sourced from Vodacom's adjacent buildings.

Vodacom will provide backup power to the traffic lights at intersections near the Vodacom campus in Midrand on 13th Road and Vodacom Boulevard (entrance and exit) and Lever Road and Vodacom Boulevard.

“Motorists spend an extended amount of time stuck in traffic because of non-functioning traffic lights. And when people are running late, this hinders their productivity, which affects our economy and causes a rise in criminal activity and accidents,” said Sitho Mdlalose, CEO of Vodacom.

“Through this partnership we hope to drive efficiency and safety on our roads. We are always exploring ways we can work with the government to address the many socioeconomic ills affecting our country. Our participation in this traffic initiative with the JRA aligns with our purpose-led strategy.”

JRA acting CEO Zweli Nyathi said class 3 arterials such as Lever Road perform an important network function as they provide connections between various suburban areas in Midrand and act as collectors delivering traffic to the major class 2 arterials such as New Road and the N1 freeway.

“JRA is delighted with the formalisation of this partnership with Vodacom which will help ease load-shedding traffic congestion along surrounding routes and bring relief to road users of between 2,000 and 3,000 vehicles travelling in both directions on Lever Road during morning and afternoon peak hours,” said Nyathi. 

“JRA is inundated with requests from corporates, schools and even NGOs across Johannesburg willing to partner with the entity in keeping the city's traffic lights on during load-shedding. This joining of hands with Vodacom and the 39 other service level agreements that are in progress are a positive boost to growing our local economy as less time in congested traffic means more productive time at the office, the factory and the school,” said Joburg transport MMC Kenny Kunene.

Previously, Kunene said the transport committee was speaking to banking group Investec about powering traffic signals through their backup generators and solar power.

“We have asked the MMC of public safety to fast track a programme in which we can train young people to conduct traffic. We're also going to speak to the private sector,” he said.