Lilian Ngoyi Street blast paved way towards ‘smart infrastructure’ – CoJ’s Floyd Brink
Almost R200 million has been allocated to repair and refurbish the street, part of which was ripped open by an underground gas explosion in July 2023, injuring 40 people and killing one.
Remnants of Bree Street in the Johannesburg CBD on 20 July 2023 after a gas explosion on 19 July 2023. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - Johannesburg city manager Floyd Brink says the gas explosion on Lilian Ngoyi Street in 2023 has paved the way for a move towards “smart infrastructure”.
Forty people were injured, and one killed when an underground gas explosion ripped open an extensive strip of roadway on the busy city centre street in July.
Speaking at a media briefing on the recovery plans of the route in Braamfontein on Thursday, Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda announced that R196 million was allocated to repair and refurbish the street, saying work is now underway and that it should be completed by the end of 2024.
Brink said one of the main focuses would be the underground service tunnel, which it is understood that methane gas travelled through and then became trapped in, leading to the blast.
“This will now give us the opportunity for us to be able to install more modern health and safety measures to mitigate against similar disasters. So, here we’re going to now start to install gas and heat as well as smoke detection systems and ventilation systems in the tunnel. So, this then created some form of opportunity for us in also ensuring we move toward a smart infrastructure and installation within those tunnels.”