CoJ preparing to reopen explosion-hit Lilian Ngoyi Street

JOHANNESBURG - Some motorists and businesses in downtown Johannesburg can finally breathe a sigh of relief, as the city prepares to reopen the explosion-hit Lilian Ngoyi Street after missing several key deadlines.

The major corridor, formerly known as Bree Street, has been closed for more than two years following a massive underground gas explosion that left parts of the road severely damaged.

After 26 months of repair work, which is double the initially projected timeframe, the city said it’s now ready to reopen the street.

For those living in high-rise buildings along the route, the sight of a torn-up road and busy construction crews became part of their daily view.

While the City of Johannesburg is upbeat that it won’t miss its target to reopen the road on Monday, this is what the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga, previously had to say when he visited the site nearly two months ago.

“If anything is completed here, I will give you my left kidney. It’s not going to happen by September. This is more than a month’s job. You can see there are still pipes that are still hanging.”

Once the city reopens the street, phase two of the project will kick off, focusing on enhancing the visual appeal of Lilian Ngoyi Street.

ALSO READ: READ: Only 15% of work to restore Bree Street completed following 2023 gas explosion, says Morero

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero will officially lead the reopening of the street.

The City of Johannesburg has allocated R192 million for the rehabilitation of Lilian Ngoyi Street.

When Eyewitness News spoke to the Johannesburg Road Agency’s CEO, Zweli Nyathi, on Sunday night, he couldn’t confirm how much had been spent on phase one, with the last reported amount being R64 million.

The remaining funds will be used to enhance the street’s appearance, including installing sidewalk pavements, street-side chairs, and other amenities.

But Msimanga has expressed concerns, suggesting that the total cost of R192 million may warrant further scrutiny.

“We have been told that nearly R200 million has been spent to fix this street. Please tell me what R200 million looks like if you’re looking at a place like this.”

The delays in completing the repairs were due to a dispute with a previous contractor, whose contract was terminated last year.