Durban - The uMngeni Local Municipality installed its first back-up power system for traffic lights in Hilton this past weekend.
The municipality’s mayor, Chris Pappas, said uMngeni motorists would not have to worry about traffic jams when load shedding hits, as robots would now still be operational.
The mayor said in the coming months the system would be rolled out to other parts of the municipality. He said the municipality had to respond to ongoing power outages by coming up with and implementing a back-up system that would be helpful to residents and motorists.
“Eskom and the national government have failed to ensure energy security in the country. This has caused widespread problems for the whole of society, including municipalities. Our reason for installing the back-up power is to try and maintain order and safety on our roads during load shedding. Traffic delays also pose a risk to the economy, because they decrease efficiency,” Pappas said.
Pappas said the municipality had four companies that were contracted for power- and electricity-related projects, and they all played different roles.
Pappas said this past weekend’s back-up power installation in Hilton had cost the municipality R56 000, and he added that they were aiming to make more installations.
“The municipality has 12 traffic lights in total. We will install five this financial year (ending June 2023). Each unit costs about R56 000 to install. Therefore, the whole municipality will cost R672 000 to complete. We will assess to see their effectiveness,” he said.
The mayor also confirmed that the next installation would be in the Howick CBD.
“The next installations will take place in the Howick CBD. This depends on the supply of parts. As we know, there are huge challenges at the Durban port that affect the national supply chain. We will assess the impact of the intervention and then determine if we should introduce more,” added Pappas.
Kate Janse van Rensburg, who resides in Hilton, said this was a great initiative that would help motorists.
“I drive through Hilton every day, as I transport my two children to school. This is great and shows that the municipality is working to improve lives. It is also great that this project will be rolled out to other places. We have constant load shedding and do not know when it will end,” she said.