City of Joburg starts Lilian Ngoyi Street repair project

Gwamanda made the announcement at a press briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday.

A gas explosion, which occurred on the evening of 19 July 2023, claimed one life and left a trail of destruction over a stretch of nearly 400 metres of road.

It's reported the blast was caused by a spark that ignited methane gas that had been leaking into the underground tunnel.

The area has been closed off to the public over safety and vandalism concerns for nearly six months, limiting access for residents and bringing business to a halt.

"From today, the people of Lilian Ngoyi Street and surrounding areas will begin to see the active movement of heavy-duty machinery and equipment, and we urge them to display a maximum level of participation to protect the development from disruption and any form of criminality,” said Gwamanda.

The city will foot the R196 million bill for the project as their application for a declaration of a local state of disaster has not yet been approved by the Treasury.

Gwamanda said they could not stand by and wait while they continue to engage provincial and national government.

"We understand the importance of the reconstruction of Lilian Ngoyi, and that compels us to repurpose budget so that we can begin the construction process while our application to other spheres of government pends approval."

At the same time, City Manager Floyd Brink has assured residents of strict oversight, saying project management measures have been put in place to protect the integrity of the project.

Step Up Engineering and Durapi Consulting have been appointed to work on the project - which is expected to be a major facelift for the ageing infrastructure along one of the busiest transport routes in the CBD.

Brink said the Joburg Roads Agency (JRA) has been tasked with ensuring strict adherence to the envisaged timelines.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance in Johannesburg has accused the executive of stalling and leaving businesses and residents to fend for themselves while the area remained dormant.

"Our recent oversight visit to the site revealed a scene of unmitigated destruction, with no progress evident even after more than half a year.

"It's utterly perplexing that not a single nor a city official was present at the site during our visit," said the party's Belinda Echeonzonjoku.  

However, Transport MMC Kenny Kunene denied any major delays - adding that the teams are all on schedule despite wet weather and needing first to complete compliance and budget processes.

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