JRA, JMPD set up Infrastructure Protection Unit

20 May 2016

 

The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) – the City of Johannesburg’s roads infrastructure provision and maintenance entity – has launched an Infrastructure Protection Unit (IPU) in response to wide-scale theft and vandalism of road infrastructure, resulting in massive losses for the City.

Theft and vandalism cripple the City’s road infrastructure and affect traffic lights, leading to massive traffic disruptions and negatively impacting on productivity and the economy. 
Copper cables, manhole and stormwater covers, road signs, bridge handrails and even traffic lights are some of the items targeted by crime syndicates.
It costs JRA more than R80-million annually to replace and repair damaged or stolen infrastructure.
At the launch of IPU at the Soweto Theatre yesterday (Thursday May 19), Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport Cllr Christine Walters said the new unit would work closely with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), South African Police Service and the Department of Justice to foil vandals and cable thieves. 
Culprits face up to 30 years’ imprisonment.
MMC Walters said the destruction of road and traffic infrastructure had a debilitating impact on Johannesburg’s economy.
“Joburg communities now realise that broken traffic lights as a result of theft and stolen manhole covers have a cascading and multiplying impact on economic growth; on the movement of transport; on our ability to move people, products and services across the city; on the cost of consumer goods and, therefore, on the quality of life of every citizen,” Walters said.
“If you stop the heart of the economy, which is Johannesburg, by having no moving traffic, you create congestion and people will sit in traffic for hours. Sometimes in the CBD you can sit in traffic for two hours just to get to Braamfontein from the CBD,” she added. 
MMC for Public Safety Councillor Sello Lemao said it was everyone’s responsibility to rid the city of this scourge.
JRA’s acting Managing Director, Dr Sean Phillips, said the initiative would succeed only if Johannesburg residents reported unlawful incidents to the law enforcement agencies. 
He said the R80-million the City lost every year could have been used to improve roads in previously disadvantaged areas, rehabilitate existing ones or roll out new traffic lights and road signs.
Phillips said in addition to stronger law enforcement, JRA would educate the public and form partnerships with communities to create greater awareness of the seriousness of the scourge.
Since 2013-2014, it has cost the City R250-million to replace and repair damaged or stolen infrastructure.
Residents who suspect any illegal activity are asked to contact JMPD on (011) 375-5911 or send an email to protect@jra.org.za.
Residents can also contact JRA via Twitter @myjra or its Find&Fix app.