Government department gets R10 billion a year but fails to fix traffic lights

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Logistics has admitted that it has failed to meet its own minimum standards for traffic signal repairs.

The admission comes from the MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, in a letter responding to questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

Diale-Tlabela said the department had failed to repair five high-risk intersections within its own targeted timeframe of one to seven days.

All five intersections are located in Ekurhuleni and have been out of commission for over a year and a half, with some dating back to November 2024.

This includes two intersections on the R23, with one on Great North Road in Benoni and another on High Road in the Kempton Park suburb of Pomona.

The Atlas Road intersection on the M43 has been non-operational since January 2025, while the Pomona Road intersection on the R32 has been non-operational since February 2025.

Finally, traffic signals at the 3rd Avenue intersection on the M32, also situated in Pomona, have been non-operational since March of last year.

All five intersections have been classified as high-risk, meaning they are supposed to be attended to within 24 hours and repaired within seven days.

Diale-Tlabela blamed the delay in repairs on resource shortages at the department, despite it receiving an annual budget of over R10 billion.

The MEC also said widespread vandalism and theft were the root cause of the department failing to meet its seven-day repair windows.

Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature Michael Waters said that while vandalism and theft were serious problems, they should not be used as a permanent excuse for government failure.

“Even more concerning is the MEC’s admission that the department lacks a dedicated formal inspection programme focused on traffic signals that have been non-operational for extended periods,” Waters said.

“This raises serious questions about the department’s maintenance planning, budget priorities, procurement processes, and monitoring of contractors.”

Waters has written to the Public Protector to investigate potential maladministration within the Gauteng Department of Roads and Logistics.

He said Gauteng residents should not be expected to navigate dangerous intersections for extended periods while the department fails to fulfil its mandate, even with a budget in place.