[UPDATE] M1 Bridge Fire: City Faces R30 Million Repair Bill After Cable Theft Blaze
Johannesburg residents will see over R30 million vanish from city coffers as repairs begin on the fire-ravaged M1 bridge. A scorching inferno, estimated to be six times hotter than usual, tore through a tunnel containing critical City Power infrastructure just days ago. The intense heat caused significant damage to the bridge itself and incinerated roughly 500 meters of underground cables. Image Source: Picture: Supplied
Published By Everything ZA News
Authorities believe the blaze was sparked by cable theft, a persistent problem plaguing the city. In a recent media briefing, Johannesburg officials outlined the extent of the damage and the upcoming repair plans.
City Power, the entity responsible for supplying electricity, estimates their portion of the repairs to cost roughly R23 million. Charles Tlouane, City Power’s Group Executive for Service Delivery, stated, “We’ll be replacing everything – 11kv cables, telecommunication lines, and 88 oil-filled cables.” The extensive damage has plunged parts of Johannesburg’s inner-city into darkness. Tlouane assured residents that City Power is working tirelessly to restore power temporarily while undertaking full repairs, which are expected to be completed within two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has finalized an initial structural assessment of the bridge. The report identifies several areas where the bridge and its support structure sustained damage. Khayalethu Gqibithole, JRA’s Acting Head of Department of Regional Operations, estimates the cost of these repairs to be around R10 million.
Joburg City Manager, Floyd Brink, condemned the incident as “sabotage” and offered his apologies for the inconvenience caused to residents. He confirmed that a police case has been opened to investigate the suspected cable theft.
Citizens can expect to see normalcy return to the M1 bridge by May 20th, when City Power anticipates completing their repairs.
About The Author
