Gauteng’s roads have become more dangerous as the provincial government confirms it has no budget to repair 119 of the province’s 196 broken traffic lights. The Department of Roads and Logistics, which manages 547 signals, says only 77 faulty intersections will be fixed with the R80 million available, even though officials admit R176.4 million is needed to fully restore vandalised and stolen units.

MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela said her department is seeking extra funds from the Treasury and considering public–private partnerships to address the shortfall. However, Democratic Alliance spokesperson Evert du Plessis laid the blame on chronic underspending, stating, “There is a continued failure to prioritise the repair and protection of vital infrastructure.” Du Plessis warns that leaving so many lights broken makes intersections more vulnerable to crashes, hijackings, and muggings, endangering residents’ lives.

Du Plessis called for urgent reprioritisation of budgets, stronger cooperation with Community Safety to protect traffic lights, and a long-term maintenance partnership with the private sector. “Without real action, residents will continue to pay the price for government’s inaction,” Du Plessis concluded.

As funding shortfalls persist, the crisis over Gauteng’s broken traffic signals has become a stark warning about the cost of delayed maintenance and mismanaged resources. A lens on this problem reveals how infrastructure neglect undermines road safety and public trust.