Mdantsane traffic lights on the blink once again

BARELY two weeks after new traffic lights were erected at the entrance to Mdantsane, they have stopped working and chaos reigns once again.

The traffic lights were dysfunctional for nearly a year due to constant vandalism and theft.

The Daily Dispatch last year reported how the Buffalo City Metro invested R250 000 towards repairing and reinstalling vandalised and stolen traffic light equipment, which resulted in the prolonged blackout at the entrance to Mdantsane.

At the time, metro spokesman Thandy Matebese said the municipality had no plan to curb vandalism and theft after the repair work had been completed.

Ward councillor Sakhumzi Caga said the malfunctioning traffic lights were caused by the spate of illegal electricity connections from the growing informal settlement Silvertown near the Mtsotso cemetery.

Motorists complained that although a stop sign had been placed in the absence of the traffic lights, they were reluctant to follow the instruction at night as they feared being hijacked.

Peki Mashiqana, a taxi driver who uses the entrance regularly, said they were excited to see work being done on the traffic lights.

“There are many drivers who use that road and it is at a very critical part of Mdantsane. For it not to have functional traffic lights is absolutely disastrous.”

Mashiqana said many drivers neglected the rules of the road and forgot to give traffic coming from the Da Gama route right of way.

Another motorist, Barney Mbotyi, said traffic was often congested during peak hours and traffic lights were a neccessity in that area.

“We are often left fighting because all the motorists become impatient and want to force their way through.

“We need to be extra careful when travelling on that route because other drivers can be reckless when there is no traffic control,” said Mbotyi.

Caga, who officially switched on the traffic lights last month, yesterday said more than R500 000 had been spent to place the new traffic lights at the entrance.

“The electricity boxes that control the traffic lights have been tampered with.

“I have suggested for extra security measures to be taken to make things difficult for the culprits who keep sabotaging the lights.” —