We can’t have every officer at every corner, says JMPD amid frustration over load-shedding affecting traffic

While stage 6 load-shedding continues, Joburg metro police (JMPD) says its hands are full and it will not dispatch extra officers to control traffic during blackouts.

Motorists have expressed frustration about load-shedding affecting traffic and  causing delays and congestion on roads. 

Media personality Anele Mdoda expressed her grievances after experiencing traffic lights not working in suburbs on her way to work.

In a recent broadcast of her 947 Breakfast Club show, she said this was a clear depiction of mediocrity. She wanted to pen a letter about the problem as the lives of motorists and pedestrians were in danger. 

“I thought we did our mediocrity in shifts. You become desensitised to things not working,” she said.

Speaking on Power 98.7, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the department can’t send traffic officers to every intersection during load-shedding.

“Our challenge is manpower, so we can’t have every officer at every intersection and every corner,” he said. 

“Due to our responsibilities when it comes to crime prevention, bylaw enforcement and attending to life-threatening emergencies, we can’t be at every corner.”

Fihla has previously warned civilians against directing traffic during blackouts, saying it is illegal for any untrained or unauthorised person to direct traffic in the absence of traffic officials or during load-shedding.

He said the city will not be liable should anything go wrong. 

“The challenge with having an unauthorised person doing that is if an accident happens within that intersection, the city won’t be liable for that accident and it will be a problem for the motorists,” he told SABC News. 

Fihla said residents who direct traffic during blackouts will not be arrested but will be removed by officers. 

“The only time the city will be liable is when an authorised person or JMPD officer is controlling traffic or when the JMPD officer sees a homeless person controlling traffic and fails to relieve them.”

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