ActionSA urges government to declare Lilian Ngoyi Street a disaster zone

ActionSA has called on the Gauteng provincial government to urgently declare Lilian Ngoyi Street in Johannesburg CBD a disaster zone to expedite its necessary repairs.

A year ago, more than 55 people sustained injuries when part of the street, formerly Bree Street, caved in, resulting in its closure. The damage was sustained following an explosion caused by a gas leak beneath the surface on 19 July 2023.

Repair delays

The restoration project set to repair Lilian Ngoyi Street between Ntemi Piliso Street in Newtown and End Street in Hillbrow started in January 2024, but it has experienced delays, causing dissatisfaction from the public.

ActionSA Johannesburg councillor Lebo Mokoka said the street closure has negatively impacted both businesses and residents.

Despite the R196 million allocated for the reconstruction, Mokoka said the contractor has made no meaningful progress.

ALSO READ: JRA threatens to cancel tender after Lilian Ngoyi Street repair delays

“Given the minimal work completed, it is evident that the contractor will fail to meet their contractual obligations and will not complete Phase 1 of the project by December, as stipulated in the contract agreement,” he added.

JRA threatens to cancel tender

Last week, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) said it would cancel the tender should there be more delays in the restoration.

The agency has been monitoring the progress to ensure that timelines were met by the contractor, which is believed to be Step Up Engineering.

“Despite previous interventions, the appointed contractor has had challenges meeting their contractual obligations,” the agency’s statement read.

The City of Joburg entity confirmed that it has issued a formal notice of intent to terminate the tender if the contractor does not “rectify the situation”.

ALSO READ: Joburg gas explosion: Mayor can’t promise costs won’t balloon as repairs on damaged road begins

Declare street disaster zone to expedite repairs

ActionSA has called on the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) to urgently declare Lilian Ngoyi Street a disaster zone to expedite the necessary repairs.

It also commended JRA for announcing its intention to terminate the contract and encouraged the entity to address the concerns raised by the contractor.

The issues include way leaves and the presence of three live cables, including an 88-kilowatt cable, which are impeding progress and jeopardising the December 2024 deadline for Phase 1.

“While JRA is focused on Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) packages, it is crucial for JRA, the contractor, and other stakeholders such as City Power to collaboratively resolve these significant issues,” Mokoka said.

Additional reporting by Molefe Seeletsa