The United Progressive People Alliance (UPPA) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the growing practice of replacing traffic lights at major intersections across the City of Tshwane with stop signs.

What is being presented as a solution to failing traffic infrastructure is, in reality, a disturbing symptom of a city that is increasingly normalising dysfunction instead of fixing it.

Tshwane residents deserve functioning traffic lights, not stop signs as a permanent substitute for municipal failure.

Traffic lights at major intersections are not a luxury. They are critical road infrastructure designed to regulate the movement of thousands of motorists, pedestrians, public transport vehicles, emergency vehicles and cyclists every day.

Replacing them with stop signs may provide a temporary traffic-management measure while repairs are undertaken, but it cannot become the City’s default answer to broken infrastructure.

The City of Tshwane cannot continue lowering the standard of municipal services and then expect residents to accept it as normal.

Residents already contend with unreliable water supplies, deteriorating roads, waste-management challenges, poor billing systems, failing infrastructure and growing concerns about safety. Now they are increasingly being asked to navigate major intersections without functioning traffic signals.

Where is the maintenance plan?

Where is the budget for traffic infrastructure?

How long are residents expected to live with temporary measures?

Who is responsible for ensuring that these intersections are restored to proper working order?

And most importantly:

Why is the City increasingly asking residents to adapt to municipal failure instead of fixing the failure?

A major metropolitan municipality cannot run its road network through permanent improvisation.

At busy intersections, stop signs can create confusion, congestion and dangerous interactions between motorists, particularly during peak hours. They can also place additional pressure on traffic officers and law enforcement while increasing delays for public transport and emergency services.

The City must publish a clear public schedule identifying every intersection where traffic lights have been replaced, the reason for the replacement, the responsible department or contractor, the cost involved and the deadline for restoration.

Residents have a right to know.

UPPA also calls for an urgent audit of Tshwane’s entire traffic-light network to determine:

● How many traffic lights are currently non-functional;

● How many have been replaced by stop signs;

● How long each intersection has been without functioning signals;

● The reasons for the failures;

● The cost and status of repairs;

● Whether maintenance contracts are being properly implemented; and

● What mechanisms are in place to prevent repeated failures.

UPPA rejects the idea that residents should simply become accustomed to a city where broken infrastructure is managed rather than repaired.

A traffic light is broken. Fix it.

A road is broken. Fix it.

A water system is failing. Fix it.

Infrastructure is collapsing. Rebuild it.

This is what competent local governments are supposed to do.

The City of Tshwane has a responsibility to provide safe, functional and reliable municipal infrastructure. That responsibility cannot be outsourced to residents through stop signs, warnings and endless appeals for patience.

UPPA therefore calls on the City administration to stop normalising infrastructure failure and start fixing Tshwane.

Our city deserves better than temporary measures masquerading as solutions.

Tshwane deserves a government that builds, fixes and heals, not one that manages decline.

UPPA will continue to place the safety, dignity and interests of Tshwane residents at the centre of our campaign for a capable, accountable and functional local government.

Issued by: United Progressive People Alliance (UPPA) Tshwane

Media enquiries

Abel Tau

Mayoral Candidate and Campaign Spokesperson

0712655040