Theft and vandalism of traffic lights spikes in Tshwane, disrupting traffic

The City of Tshwane has in the past few months seen a sharp increase in the vandalism of traffic lights or theft of their parts.

The city's roads and transport department has warned that the theft and vandalism is significantly disrupting traffic flow in the city.

Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said some of the parts stolen and damaged include transformers and controllers. “This has led to many intersections operating without traffic signals, leading to long delays and an increased risk of accidents,” he said.

The city has also noticed increased vandalism of traffic signals along provincial routes, which is the responsibility of the contractor appointed by the Gauteng provincial department of roads & transport (GPDRT) to conduct maintenance and repairs, he said.

“Regular follow-ups are made to the province by the city’s technical maintenance teams, should such intersections not be repaired timeously.

“Theft and vandalism of traffic lights is a serious problem that is putting the residents at risk.

“The city is working to repair damaged traffic lights as quickly as possible, but these crimes are having a significant impact on traffic flow, and the safety of motorists and pedestrians.”

Bokaba said the problems are worsened during power outages, including load-shedding, which is out of the city’s control.

The city has urged residents to report any suspicious activity around traffic lights to the Tshwane metro police department (TMPD).

“Communities are cautioned not to confront people found tampering with a traffic light, but rather to report them to TMPD on 012-358-7095/6.”

Bokaba said the city is responding to the threat by installing security cameras and increasing patrols in high-crime areas. “However, the public’s co-operation is essential. By working together with communities, the city can help to keep its traffic lights safe and ensure that residents can travel safely.”

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