Bank of Lisbon building to be demolished on Sunday
The Gauteng government has announced that the 31-storey Bank of Lisbon building in Johannesburg will be demolished on Sunday.
The decision follows a structural assessment that was conducted on the building after it caught fire in September 2018.
The fire claimed the lives of three firefighters who died while battling the blaze.
Structural engineers discovered that the fire caused severe damage to the slabs of the burnt floors and posed a threat of collapsing if left.
MEC for Infrastructure Development Tasneem Motara says an exclusion zone will be implemented to safeguard the public.
"Extensive consultations have since happened and the necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure the safety of all residents, some of whom are students.
"On Sunday morning residents will be evacuated and will be accommodated in Bank City for a duration of up to 3 hours. Once the building has been imploded and cleared, residents will be allowed back."
Safety manager Marthinus Botha has also assured the public that neighbouring buildings and roads will be protected when the demolition takes place.
The following streets will be closed from Saturday: Diagonal & Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu & Ntemi Piliso Commissioner & Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Commissioner & Fraser street.