NMB metro, businesses fix traffic light after two years of chaos

For the past two years, the robots at the Perseverance intersection in Nelson Mandela Bay, a site of frequent motor vehicle accidents, have not been working. 

But on Friday, following a joint project between the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber’s Perseverance Geographic Cluster, order at the intersection was restored.

The road links the towns of Kariega and Despatch. 

Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber spokesperson Sibongile Dimbaza said on Thursday, 21 November,“ The traffic lights serve as a key traffic control point for the industrial area…[this] economic hub had been out of service since vandals repeatedly targeted it. The broken signal caused significant safety concerns and traffic delays for both businesses and residents, negatively impacting the flow of goods and services in the region,” said Dimbaza.

He said this restoration of traffic lights was a major success for Perseverance, one the oldest industrial zones in the Metro that contributed 5% of the total municipal rates in the metro.

Speaking about the success of the restoration, chairperson of the Perseverance Business Association Siyolo Dick emphasised that the collaboration between the private sector and public sector was crucial. 

“The restoration of this traffic light is a testament to what can be achieved when public and private entities come together with a shared goal. By working collaboratively, we are not only solving an immediate problem, but also demonstrating a model of cooperation that can be applied to other areas of service delivery in our region,” said Diko.

The association recognised the importance of maintaining smooth traffic flow and installed a camera system aimed at monitoring and deterring further vandalism.

In September 2024, Daily Maverick reported that Nelson Mandela Bay’s R75 between Gqeberha and Kariega had no working traffic lights, no working streetlights and almost no intact guardrails. A contractor appointed by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) could not work there because it was unsafe, while communities living on the sides of the road demanded work.

Read more: The horrific state of Nelson Mandela Bay’s R75 route — vandalised, dark and dangerous

Over the past four years accidents were a common thing at the Perseverance intersection. Early this month, a serious accident occurred on the M19 Perseverance Road at the M17 turn-off. In 2020, one person was killed and four others injured in a three-vehicle crash on Perseverance Road. Three vehicles, a bakkie, a car and a truck were involved. In 2021, three people died at a level crossing after a train collided with a vehicle in Perseverance.

According to Diko, “This is a major win for everyone who relies on this route for work and trade. With this partnership, we’ve shown that community engagement and private sector support can play a pivotal role in addressing public service challenges.” DM