Herman Mashaba, executive Mayor of Johannesburg has saved 186 jobs after reinstating the Johannesburg OUTsurance Pointsmen.
The Johannesburg OUTsurance Pointsmen are back!
After an incredibly difficult few weeks for the team, and a massive public outcry… an announcement was made this morning that the contract has been extended until the project can be properly assessed.
The Mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, opened up to David O’Sullivan and his listeners on KAYA FM about the pointsmen disappearing from the streets of the city.
“This matter was brought to my attention last Wednesday & when I investigated this matter, it was really one of those challenges that I inherited in terms of our supply chain management.
It looks like it is a systemic way to really sabotage our administration in delaying to renew some of our contracts.
And with regards to this particular one with the OUTsurance Pointsmen, I was assured yesterday by MMC Sun that this was just a technical matter, and they will extend the contract and service for the next 6 months and then take it out on tender.”
The Mayor also pointed out how ridiculous it was to let a contact expire that was ultimately free for the city and such a massive help with traffic flow.
“But imagine that we are getting a free service and not paying for it and then for some reason there are some officials who either deliberate or through lack of competence just let that contract expire?”
O’Sullivan was elated with the news, and outlined to the Mayor that it was silly to “try fix something that wasn’t actually broken”.
Just last week, there was a public outcry when hearing that the JMPD had taken over the service.
The City of Johannesburg originally released a statement announcing that it had decided to not renew a contract which provided privately-sponsored pointsmen at traffic hotspots. The statement also said that the decision was made on August 5, and the last day of the contract would be on that Friday.
“This comes as Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) upgraded its function and appointed an additional 180 Traffic Wardens who will be deployed to ensure that traffic continues to be managed efficiently,” he said in a statement.
“This process is part of JMPD’s legislative and core mandate to ensure a free-traffic flow while ensuring drive, passenger and pedestrian safety.” – Michael Sun
But the decision was met with disappointment by OUTsurance and Traffic FreeFlow (TFF) knowing that 186 South Africans would stand to lose their jobs.
Traffic Freeflow has been at the helm of the Pointsmen project since it’s inception and the founder of the concept, Colleen Bekker, had first approached the city 13 years ago with the proposal to supply privately sponsored traffic pointsmen after realising the need for it.
“We are committed to being the most professional service provider for the relief of traffic congestion in South Africa, ensuring that our Static and Mobile Pointsmen and Staff Members are nurtured, developed and empowered through a compassionate, micro-managed organisation.”
When hearing about the original cancellation of the contract, Colleen expressed incredibly saddness, not for herself but for the 186 pointsmen to service all JPMD jurisdictions, including the CBD, Fourways, Sandton, Randburg, Midrand and Soweto.
It’s a very sad day for me personally, all of the staff of Traffic Freeflow, our 36 sponsors and in particular the motorists of Johannesburg, who have come to depend on the stellar service the pointsmen have offered in getting them through sticky traffic every morning and afternoon for the past 13 years,” she said in a statement.
We have reached out to Colleen and the team about the good news and will post updates as soon as we can.
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