For the previous six months, tempers have flared and frustrations mounted as motorists face day by day site visitors congestion on Snake Road attributable to cable theft and injury to the infrastructure of site visitors lights.
At the start of March, the site visitors lights alongside the 4km stretch of highway had been vandalised, lower down on the base of the automated sign, and the cabling eliminated.
Melanie Kruger, a resident of Mackenzie Park, mentioned that in March and April, site visitors lights at seven intersections had been broken, with even the sign masts stolen.
“The ‘attack’ on the traffic lights started on Heron Street, shortly followed by the intersections of Tom Jones Street, Dewald Hattingh Road and Flamingo Avenue,” she mentioned.
“In April, the site visitors lights on Snake and Dewald Hattingh, Main Reef and New Modder roads, in addition to Pioneer and Golden drives had been rendered non-functional attributable to this.
“Traffic has come to a whole stand-still, with navigating peak hour an absolute nightmare.
“Some motorists simply speed through the intersections. This situation is becoming increasingly dangerous.”
Kruger famous that EMPD officers have been conducting level duties at some affected intersections. However, this has executed little to ease congestion on a highway which serves as a serious arterial route for 1000’s of commuters and irregular autos.
“To cut down on travelling time, many motorists now use Mackenzie Park to avoid congestion, which has resulted in our quiet suburb becoming a thoroughfare for hundreds of vehicles daily,” added Kruger.
“We have additionally famous the next incidence of smash-and-grabs as motorists sit in gridlocked site visitors.
“Criminals are practically walking away with our infrastructure while others prey on unsuspecting victims just trying to get to and from work.”
The Benoni City Times approached CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini for remark however was referred to the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport.
In his reply, Dlamini mentioned the highway falls underneath the possession of the Gauteng Provincial Government and that the metro is unable to touch upon how the matter of broken and vandalised infrastructure will probably be addressed.
A media enquiry despatched to the Gauteng Provincial Department of Roads and Infrastructure on October 11 has gone unanswered.
According to Captain Nomsa Sekele, the spokesperson for the Benoni Police Station and a daily person of Snake Road, the shattered glass littering the highway clearly signifies that smash-and-grabs have develop into a typical incidence. However, she mentioned a rise in reported instances has not been recorded.
“It may be that motorists are reporting cases at police stations closer to home rather than coming to our police station directly,” mentioned Sekele.
“This directly impacts our crime statistics because crime prevention units do not have accurate numbers of incidents.”
During his first interview with the Benoni City Times, the newly appointed Benoni SAPS station commander, Brigadier Sudesh Sookraj, dedicated to making sure that Vispol members are deployed to the world to conduct seen policing operations till the non-functional site visitors lights matter is resolved.
Media liaison for the EMPD Lerato Monyane mentioned that to the very best of her information, CoE engineers had contacted the provincial authorities to handle the matter.
“Although responsibility for the road and its infrastructure falls under the provincial government’s department of roads and transport, the onus of safeguarding the infrastructure against vandalism and theft rests with the CoE,” mentioned Monyane.
“Partnering with other law enforcement agencies, the EMPD will intensify its patrols to prevent further damage.”
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