Traffic signal battery theft costs the City millions
05 August 2020
Over the last financial year, the City of Cape Town’s Transport directorate has spent approximately R6 571 000 on the replacement and new installation of stolen Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) batteries and units at traffic signalised intersections. These UPS batteries and units, which keep Cape Town’s intersections operational during load-shedding, are now being targeted by syndicates. The theft of these UPS batteries and units as well as damage to the municipal infrastructure is a waste of the City’s resources during critical times. Read more below:
Over the last financial year, the City’s Transport directorate had spent approximately R6 571 000 on new installations and replacing Uninterrupted Power Supply batteries and units at traffic signals. Sadly, vandalism and theft of these expensive and essential batteries and units is a challenge across the city and not only costs the City millions of rands to replace, but affects motorists’ travel time drastically during load-shedding when traffic signals are not able to operate.
During the lockdown period alone, 152 incidents occurred at the traffic signal infrastructure across the city, 73 percent of these reported incidents were theft and 27 percent acts of vandalism. The repairs to these incidents amount to over R3 200 000.
This particular vandalism and theft occurs right across the city. Some of the targeted areas include Philippi; Grassy Park; Strandfontein; Somerset West; Nyanga; Strand; Parklands; Mitchells Plain; Milnerton; Mannenberg; Bellville and the Cape Town CBD.
‘We cannot afford to waste precious resources by having to replace these stolen batteries at our traffic signals. This vandalism and theft has a knock on effect on the public purse, which is unacceptable especially during a time when resources are stretched. I urge all residents to not only report these events, but to also report the selling of these batteries on the black market so that we can put an end to this sort of theft. This money should be spent on other projects to improve the lives of residents and not to replace what has been stolen.
‘We need to curb these incidents and ensure that those at fault face the consequences. We however rely on the public to alert us to any acts of vandalism and theft witnessed at our traffic signals,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Alderman Felicity Purchase.
It is important to note that the current branding on these batteries is Vision and Royal. Perpetrators who are caught will be charged under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act.
Report damage and theft to traffic signal infrastructure to the Transport Information Centre (TIC) on 0800 65 64 63, the TIC is available 24/7. Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
