Joburg Roads Agency says Lilian Ngoyi Street repairs at 77% complete

The 1.8km stretch was destroyed by an underground gas explosion two years ago.

Repairs to the damaged Lilian Ngoyi Street in the Johannesburg CBD are progressing well, with 77% of the work having been completed.

The 1.8km stretch was destroyed by an underground gas explosion two years ago.

While there’ve been delays in finishing the repairs due to disputes with contractors, the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) said the road would be open to the public on 31 August.

Heavy machinery, dust, and constant digging are still a daily sight on what used to be the busy Lilian Ngoyi Street.

With the road still reduced to gravel and no asphalt laid yet, the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Solly Msimanga said it appears unlikely that the city will meet its self-imposed deadline.

“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.”

However, Johannesburg Roads Agency CEO Zweli Nyathi said the bulk of the work has been completed.

“The project is at 77% complete. So far, so good. The catch-up plan has worked after we lost a lot of time, and we are back on track.”

Once the road is repaired, phase two of the project will begin, focusing on cleaning and beautifying Lilian Ngoyi Street.