Publications
Partners
With a critical shortage of traffic officers visible on local roads, motorists question the level of service provided by Cape Town traffic services – especially during blackouts.
Brackenfell business owner Allan Faulkner says he has on a number of occasions seen traffic officers writing out fines, when in fact the public needed their help.
“It pains me to never actually see a traffic officer doing point duty or assisting the public when traffic comes to a grind during load shedding. Instead of helping with the flow of traffic at busy crossings where it hurts most, some traffic officers will rather prosecute motorists for minor offences.
“This approach to law enforcement is all wrong,” says Faulkner who continually commutes on roads in Brackenfell and surrounds.
He more specifically refers to the big intersections on Okavango Road from Old Paarl Road over the N1 to Kraaifontein where no pointsmen are deployed.
“Not so long ago, hordes of motorists were stuck in a bottle neck near the Okavango Bridge as the lights went down. Four lanes of cars struggled through the traffic, while at the slipways going onto the N1, a few traffic offers stood checking licences,” he told TygerBurger.
Chaos at crossings
According to Faulkner there is constant chaos on this road in both directions during peak-hour traffic, not to mention load shedding.
“Going onto Old Paarl Road in the mornings and afternoons, taxis and other vehicles constantly block the road. It is clear as daylight that a pointsman is needed there. It frustrates me to see all the speed traps and fines issued for the smallest thing. Other than the sporadic roadblocks where the focus is mostly on taxis, there is no visibility on our roads. As a taxpayer I feel we are not getting value for our tax rand and I’m sure many motorists in the City feel the same way. I am disappointed in Cape Town, a City that prides itself in service delivery,” he says.
Other citizens commented on the issue on Brackenfell Taxpayer’s Association’s social media platform.
Referring to multiple traffic issues in Protea Road in Protea Heights Pieter Jooste posed the question, “Where do you find traffic officers in Brackenfell?”
Sias Snyman agrees saying that there is a shortage of permanent traffic officers in the suburb. “It is a shame that there is no (traffic officers visible) on this road along which is the biggest primary school in the province, dozens of crèches and after-school centres,” he wrote.
Availability of staff
In a response the City of Cape Town traffic department confirmed that operational deployment is subject to available staff complement.
Spokesperson Maxine Bezuidenhout says it is not operationally possible to cover the 2 500 traffic intersections in Cape Town with the available staff complement.
“During load shedding officers are posted to major and primary route intersections with three or more traffic lanes and dual turning lanes at major interchanges to and from the freeways. All other secondary intersections must unfortunately be used by all motorists as a four-way stop as directed by the National Traffic Act,” she says.
“Congestion during load shedding times is unfortunately inevitable and not preventable and the City’s traffic service does not come to a standstill during load shedding times. All our other services must continue and we also have to deal with various emergency situations like accidents, road closures and other incidents at load shedding times which would prevent us from even assisting at primary intersections. Traffic enforcement is based on operational imperatives and available staff-based on budget guidelines.”
Bezuidenhout says it is impossible to be visible on all major routes, including primary and secondary routes on a 24/7 basis. “Traffic officers also have to deal with various other incidents, accidents and complaints on a daily basis. It is not true that officers chase fines. Officers assist where and when required. It should be noted that traffic service record an average of 300 down-time hours per month – this is when officers stand down assisting motorists,” she adds.
