By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
City of Johannesburg has appointed a contractor for the Lillian Ngoyi Street rehabilitation and construction, following the gas explosion in Bree street on July 19.
The rehabilitation project is being managed by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) through a seven-stage project management process.
Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda gave an update on Thursday, explaining the process that would be undertaken to repair the roadway.
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.
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.
The construction period spans from January 11 to December 15, with stringent oversight by the JRA to ensure adherence to timelines.
The construction phase focuses on road redevelopment, service infrastructure and associated amenities.
The planning and design stages, initiated on August 22, concluded on November 20, encompassing steps such as identifying impacted services, allocating budgets, and appointing a professional services provider.
“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.
Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) CEO Zweli Nyati explained that the construction phase only commenced on Thursday due to compliance issues as well as the release of funds.
“We were waiting for permits from the [Department of] Public Works. You don’t just work with such figures without them knowing,” Nyati said.