Busy junctions can be the source of much annoyance to motorists and other road users, but for the more devious out there they can represent something of a cash cow, writes Patrick Logue.
Take tow-truck companies. A weekend of shunts and smashes at such junctions could be a veritable holiday in the Caribbean.
In fact, one might think it wise for such companies to park at busy junctions on, say, an Easter Bank holiday weekend to be first on the scene of any crashes. And, it would be tempting, perhaps, to tip the odds a little in your favour.
It was so tempting for two South Africa tow-truckers that their efforts to boost their bank balances has left one man languishing in a remand cell and a wave of carnage in one part of Johannesburg.
A homeless man was arrested in the Roodepoort suburb of Johannesburg for tampering with traffic lights in an apparent effort to cause crashes and drum up business for the two companies. The 23-year-old told police he was being paid to disconnect the power supply to the lights by the two companies. He was charged with attempted murder and malicious damage to property.
West Rand police spokesperson Sergeant Katlego Mogale told the local Star newspaper that police were alerted when the man was seen tampering with equipment.
According to reports, at least two people have died and there were numerous accidents in the area over the past number of months because of malfunctioning traffic lights. It's believed the man was acting as a "spotter" for the companies.
South African tow-truckers are said to use a large network of people, such as newspaper vendors, petrol attendants and beggars, who report accidents to them for between €10 and €25.
A fellow-spotter is said to have blown the whistle on the alleged culprit.
South African Towing and Recovery Association chairperson Andre van der Merwe said it was unclear whether the suspect had been acting on his own or if he had been paid by the companies to tamper with the lights.
South Africa has one of the world's highest road death rates. It's estimated that up to 10,000 deaths and 150,000 injuries occur in crashes there every year.