DA: Lights on Jo'burg highway out, Eskom not paid

Lights on the M1 highway between Johannesburg and Midrand have been out for more than eight months because Gauteng has not paid Eskom, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Thursday.

“It’s highly dangerous driving on this road at night without the lights,” DA councillor Marcelle Ravid said in a statement.

“I really fear that a bad accident will happen because of this. The lights were on briefly during the Soccer World Cup, but have been off ever since.”

Ravid said he had complained about this repeatedly to the city but was told by an official at Johannesburg’s Region E that the provincial government was to blame.

DA Gauteng transport spokesperson Neil Campbell said: “It’s totally unacceptable that a government department fails to pay its debts, especially where the safety of the public is at risk.”

Comment was not immediately available from the Gauteng provincial government.—Sapa