The City of Joburg has confirmed that the project to rehabilitate Lilian Ngoyi Street, formerly known as Bree Street, has commenced and is expected to be completed in December. Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, together with the MMC for Transport Kenny Kunene, City Manager Floyd Brink and Johannesburg Road Agency executives, gave an update on the commencement of the rehabilitation of the street after the explosion that took place last year.
THE BUDGET
The approved budget for the project is R196 million, and this includes professional fees, construction costs and contingency plans. "The city is intending to create a safe and conducive environment for economic activity for formal and informal [businesses] with ease of passage and movement of people into and through Lilian Ngoyi. The focus is also to ensure that we integrate economic development and healthy public environment operations, such as ablution facilities and food processing services together with precinct operations and maintenance services," Gwamanda said. City Manager Floyd Brink emphasised that the said amount would cover all costs, including labour. "The R196m should not be misconstrued. It includes all other services within that area. The amount will be for roadworks, stormwater and services infrastructure, and electrical, mechanical and structural works required on site to deliver on the designs as approved by the city," Brink said. In August last year, Brink said that the city had spent R4 million on technical experts, reinforcements, and technology after the explosion.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Gwamanda said the rehabilitation project will give job opportunities to 80 residents who reside in the CBD. "As with all city-led developments, the construction phase of this project will deliver critical employment opportunities for an estimated 80 residents and business opportunities for several small, micro and medium enterprises. This is just the beginning of a new era for Lilian Ngoyi Street,' he said. One person died and over 40 others were injured during the incident.
