Two injured after bridge collapses in Jeppestown, Joburg

Two people have been injured after a footbridge collapsed in Jeppestown in Johannesburg.

Joburg Emergency Services spokesperson Nana Radebe said the bridge collapsed just before 2pm on Wednesday.

“The bridge collapsed on the railway [below]. When the incident occurred two people were crossing using the footbridge. The two patients have been removed to nearby medical facilities.”

Reports of a bridge collapse in Jeppestown, JHB. Photos pic.twitter.com/iu8CNcmXtP

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) October 4, 2023

Joburg bridges

Earlier this year, Johannesburg MMC for transport Kenny Kunene told The Citizen the City of Johannesburg’s bridges were crumbling and there was no money to fix them.

Kunene spoke about the deplorable state of the city’s bridges and roads, relegating Johannesburg to what he called “not a world class African city”.

The Johannesburg Roads Agency’s (JRA) 2021/2022 annual report, showed that 90% of the city’s bridges were found to be in poor condition.

The JRA said some of the more critical bridges include, among others, the three inner-city bridges Queen Elizabeth, Biccard and Harrison Bridges, Kilburn Bridge, Belgrave Bridge, West Road Bridge, Pier Road Bridge, Maphumulo Bridge and Mmila and Vincent series bridges.

ALSO READ: An accident waiting to happen: Joburg’s bridges crumbling, but no money to fix them