Joburg reopens Lilian Ngoyi Street after two years of repairs

By Thapelo Molefe

The City of Johannesburg has reopened Lilian Ngoyi Street, formerly Bree Street, after completing the first phase of long-delayed rehabilitation works nearly two years after a deadly underground gas explosion tore through the CBD.

The rebuilt section, paved with bricks instead of traditional tar, was officially reopened on Monday by Joburg mayor Dada Morero.

The road is now open to pedestrians and will be accessible to vehicles from 12 September.

Morero described the reopening as both a recovery milestone and part of a broader effort to reimagine the city’s core.

The July 2023 explosion, triggered by methane gas igniting in an underground service tunnel, destroyed a 500-metre stretch of the busy road, killed one person, injured 48 others, and forced its closure.

Lilian Ngoyi Street is a vital commuter corridor linking businesses, taxi ranks, and public services in the inner city. The city estimates that disruptions since