Loadshedding causes Joburg traffic mayhem

THE JOHANNESBURG Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has intensified its traffic management operations, by deploying officers and traffic pointsmen in and around the city, not only during peak hours, but also during the day, to ease traffic congestion.

The City of Johannesburg’s Department of Public Safety yesterday appealed to residents to have patience during Eskom’s rolling black-outs, which have caused traffic mayhem in the city.

“The current stage four rolling black-outs, which commenced on Saturday March 16, 2019, left many traffic lights down, resulting in heavy traffic congestion. To make matter worse, some of the rolling black-outs are during peak hours, where traffic flow is at its highest,” department spokesperson, Luyanda Longwe said.

The member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for Public Safety, Michael Sun, said: “Eskom’s loadshedding/rolling black-outs have put unnecessary pressure on our already stretched metro policing capacity. As of the morning of March 18, we had deployed a total of 153 metro police officers and traffic pointsmen across the city to direct traffic and this deployment is set to increase.”

The JMPD crime prevention units within each region have increased patrols in order to deter any “opportunistic crimes, such as smash-andgrabs, which may occur due to the congested traffic”.

The department urged motorists to be vigilant, ensuring their valuables are kept out of sight.

Emergency Management Services (EMS) in the city also requested that residents be extra cautious when using candles and other flame-lit lighting devices, which may cause fires when left unattended. | African News Agency (ANA)