Pretoria – Despite some getting comic relief from the video widely circulated of a man pulling away a traffic light, many people on social media platforms expressed sympathy for him.
The video has been getting reviews, including many pointing out that the man’s predicament mirrors South Africa’s joblessness crisis where people are going to extremes to survive.
The Joburg Roads Agency (JRA) also 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.
“This will save the City huge amounts of lost revenue on replacement costs.”
On Thursday afternoon, the video had more than 30 000 views on the JRA’s Twitter account.
Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee shared the video on Wednesday with the caption: “Criminals go for anything and everything…”
With more than 47 000 views by Thursday afternoon, many users blamed unscrupulous scrap metal dealers. Others, however, cited lack of visibility by the Johannesburg Metro Police Department and the JRA.
One Twitter user @10_shoez wrote: “So where is JMPD or JRA.”
Another Twitter user @Balcan56772144 wrote: “Mxm, can't you see that de robot it's broken… All I see is a poor black person who took a useless robot to go sell it where they exchange for money!!!!”
Others said nothing could shock residents as they have become accustomed to high levels of crime.
IOL