The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), motorists and residents have called on the City of Johannesburg to extend the traffic pointsmen contract until a permanent solution is found. This is after the free pointsmen service which directed traffic to relieve congestion in the City lapsed without any contingency.
“We received complaints from motorists and our supporters to take up this issue with the City of Johannesburg,” says Michael Holenstein, OUTA’s Inland Regional Manager. “Within a day the City took action and engaged with us. Though this issue shouldn’t have occurred, we appreciate the way in which the City embraced our requests and acted upon them. This sets a good example for how the municipality should act on issues raised by residents and in a timely fashion.”
OUTA issued a letter to the City on 11 September 2019 requesting it to resolve the pointsmen issue. “We asked for an extension to the current contract until the tender process was finalised. We also asked the City to be more transparent in its process and to provide feedback to the public regarding the issue,” says Holenstein.
“OUTA will engage further with the City regarding broken traffic lights and other concerns regarding congestion of Joburg’s roads,” Holenstein adds.
OUTA indicated that it will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the City takes action.
The pointsmen contract was held by Traffic Freeflow and the cost was sponsored mainly by OUTsurance. The contract was advertised and three bidders are understood to have submitted bids, but the City has failed to make a decision. OUTsurance has said that TFF is required to go through a tender process to provide the free service to the City. In August last year, the City said it has to comply with procurement rules.
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