One of South Africa’s biggest telecommunications company has said it will be helping to alleviate the stress caused to motorists by load shedding. Image: Supplied.
One of South Africa’s biggest telecommunications company has said it will be helping to alleviate the stress caused to motorists by load shedding and traffic lights going out due to the loss of power.
MTN announced on Monday an innovative public-private partnership with the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) that is set to tackle the challenges posed by load shedding on South Africa’s roads.
The group said that a service level agreement between the two parties will see MTN SA providing back-up power to all traffic lights in Soweto that are located near MTN base stations.
MTN base stations will supply power to the traffic lights during load shedding from the sites’ back-up power systems to significantly alleviate delays and frustrations experienced by Soweto residents and commuters.
“This will be particularly helpful at key ‘traffic corridors’ that lead towards highways. By providing reliable AC power back-up to traffic lights at intersections near its network stations, MTN is taking a proactive step towards enhancing traffic management in the region,“ MTN said.
“The JRA must be commended for their commitment in ensuring swift progress in implementing this project. This is an excellent example of what can be achieved when the private and public sectors work together to positively impact the lives of citizens,” said MTN South Africa’s CEO, Charles Molapisi.
“By partnering with business, we are taking proactive steps to alleviate the impact load shedding has on commuters, due to its impact on our traffic lights. To ensure efficient traffic flow at peak times, we need smooth-flowing ‘traffic corridors’ that lead traffic onto highways, keeping people moving to their destinations with ease and efficiency. By ensuring a stable power supply to traffic lights, we aim to enhance road safety, minimise congestion, and create a more seamless driving and transportation experience for all road users,” said acting CEO for the JRA, Zweli Nyati.
“We’re excited about the future of this project and aim to expand further afield to partner with municipalities across the country to create corridors of free-flowing traffic in load shedding, by using existing base stations to power traffic lights where we can,” Molapisi said.
MTN said that it is also creating a “traffic corridor” from the Flora Clinic, along 14th Avenue, towards the N1 highway, leading to outside the MTN head office, to ensure smooth movement onto and off the N1 highway at the 14th Avenue intersection. Those traffic lights will be backed up by power supplied by electricity generated from the MTN campus.
“We are engaging a number of metros to offer this solution in other parts of Gauteng and the rest of the country. Strong public and private partnerships can make such a positive impact on the lives of South Africans and this is one such example, where a simple collaboration using existing infrastructure will help decongest traffic, while also saving commuters time, frustration and money,” Molapisi said.
BUSINESS REPORT
Related Topics: