Pretoria – Two men have been arrested by the Joburg Metropolitan Police Department’s undercover reaction unit and charged for possession and tampering with essential municipal infrastructure after they were found with traffic lights in Selby.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the two were arrested after a report was received about men tampering with traffic lights.
“On Friday evening 11 November 2022, officers received a complaint from the JMPD Tactical Command Centre of two suspects driving in a white Toyota Hi-Ace minibus taxi who were busy tampering with traffic lights at the corner of Booysens Road and John Street in Selby,” Fihla said.
“Upon their arrival at the scene, officers found the said suspects and vehicle. They introduced themselves as police and the reason for being there.”
Fihla said the suspects and their vehicle were searched, and officers found two traffic lights placed at the back of the minibus taxi.
“The suspects were immediately arrested and detained at Johannesburg Central SAPS where a case docket was opened for further investigation,” he said.
In March, a video of a man pulling away a traffic light in Joburg was widely circulated on social media.
The Joburg Roads Agency (JRA) shared the 17-second video, appealing to residents to refrain from vandalising critical infrastructure.
“We urge community members and road users to assist in combating vandalism and theft by reporting such acts to the city’s call centre or to law enforcement agencies,” the JRA wrote on Twitter.
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