The Star Late Edition

Infrastruc­ture theft and vandalism costing city big bucks

THE Gauteng provincial government has decried the continued destructio­n of its infrastruc­ture following a spike in vandalism and theft of its traffic lights.

The provincial Department of Transport said criminals have caused at least R30 million damage to its traffic lights across provincial routes.

It was deeply concerned about the growing incidents of theft and destructio­n to its traffic infrastruc­ture, it said, as it struggled to keep up with the maintenanc­e of its equipment.

“The department faces an enormous battle of maintainin­g and protecting the province’s road traffic signals from rampant theft and vandalism. This battle has jumped to more than R30 million in the past year alone, with more than 400 signalised traffic intersecti­ons having been vandalised,” department spokespers­on Lesiba Mpya.

Mpya said in certain areas, the department has taken the interim measure of converting signalised intersecti­ons into four-way stops to

enhance safety while actively seeking alternativ­e and sustainabl­e methods for maintainin­g traffic signals.

“The criminal activities are inflicting economic losses on the province, with replacemen­t and repair costs reaching millions. Rebuilding an intersecti­on, on average, can range between R900 000 and R1.5 million. Notably, high-profile intersecti­ons such as Hendrik Potgieter and Christiaan de Wet are repeatedly vandalised shortly after repairs, incurring costs exceeding R500 000 per repair,” he said.

Mpya said these brazen acts of theft and vandalism are not only a problem to the fiscus but cause untold damage to public safety in terms of road accidents and loss of life.

“These incidents contribute to increased downtime for traffic signals, resulting in an unfavourab­le user experience, road crashes and substantia­l costs for the department in rebuilding and replacing stolen equipment.”

Mpya said that as part of its strategy to combat theft and vandalism, the department was actively engaging in establishi­ng partnershi­ps to find solutions to these challenges. It urged citizens to report theft and destructio­n of infrastruc­ture whenever it happens in their neighbourh­oods.

“The department urges the public to exercise caution and understand­ing as collaborat­ive efforts with law enforcemen­t agencies are under way to address these issues. Road users should adhere to treating non-functional traffic signals as four-way stops.

“Additional­ly, the department appeals to members of the public to assist the government by promptly reporting acts of vandalism,” Mpya said.