City, forum at odds over vandalised traffic lights

AFTER destroying the traffic lights and signalling at the intersection of Prince George Drive and Vrygrond Avenue, the protesters are demanding the City fix the problem.

Vrygrond Community Development Forum chairperson Isaac Goliat said there would never be peace in Vrygrond if the City kept undermining the residents.

“Yes, we protested at the intersection. Sadly the traffic lights were affected. The reason for that is the City does not develop our community.”

Goliat said they would again table their demands to the office of the mayor at the Civic Centre on Thursday.

Mayco member for transport, Felicity Purchase, said the transport directorate had begun with the repairs to the traffic signals on Prince George Drive (M5) that were vandalised during protests on October 31.

“If all goes as planned, the signals should be in working order by mid-December.The money we now need to spend on doing repairs could have been spent on building new roads and sidewalks in these same communities.”

She said residents had asked why the repairs were taking so long. “Firstly, it has been too dangerous for officials to access the area to do the necessary work. Also, those who have been involved in the violent protests have threatened to destroy these signals again should the City attempt to do the repairs. The situation has finally stabilised, but I am still concerned about these threats,” she said.

Vrygrond Community Development Forum secretary Nonkosi Fodo said protest actions could be avoided if dialogue resumed between the forum leadership and the City.