Driving in Johannesburg at peak hour is a hair-raising experience. Commuters have to deal with potholes, a dearth of functioning traffic lights and endless backlogs. It’s not hard to understand why motorists are always delighted to spot Outsurance pointsmen helping to manage some of the city’s most congested intersections. Remember the public outcry when they were pulled off the streets for a few days?

For nine years now, Traffic Freeflow, which owns and manages the pointsmen project in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Cape Town, has been operating with Outsurance as its major sponsor, and Talk Radio 702 as its media partner. With the JMPD, the JRA and the City of Joburg as partners, it’s a rare example of what a successful public-private partnership looks like.