Bridge collapse forces closure of road linking Joburg with Krugersdorp, and other roads to avoid

13 December 2022 - 13:47 By Phathu Luvhengo
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A section of the road at a bridge has collapsed.
A section of the road at a bridge has collapsed.
Image: David Tembe via Twitter

A bridge on a major road linking Johannesburg to Krugersdorp in Mogale City partially collapsed on Tuesday due to the heavy rains Gauteng has been experiencing since last week.

Public safety MMC David Tembe said there was no risk to motorists as Hendrik Potgieter Road had earlier been closed to traffic when authorities saw signs of an imminent collapse.

The Gauteng department of roads and transport confirmed the closure between Johan and Van Staden roads “due to a bridge collapse”.

Ward councillor Zoné Hughes said she was on site with officials from the Gauteng transport department as well as the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), awaiting the arrival of the contractor and engineers.

JRA spokesperson Bertha Peters-Scheepers said the affected section was near Raceworx KTM.

“This is a provincial road, and the Gauteng department of roads and transport has secured the area and engineers are undertaking structural assessments,” she said.

JRA urged motorists to exercise caution when travelling in identified hotspots, including those near roads closed for safety.

Albertina Sisulu Road has been closed between Westlake and Fourth roads in Florida as a precautionary measure due to damage caused by flooding after heavy rain at the weekend.

Peters-Scheepers said JRA teams were attending to the problem and would reopen the road as soon as it is safe for users. “In the meantime, motorists are advised to use alternative routes.”

In Soweto, the Ndaba Street bridge at Mapetla Park, Protea South, and the Phakoe Street bridge in Naledi are closed to traffic.

In Roodepoort, the Kilburn Street bridge had collapsed and traffic diversions were in place, she said. Wilgerood Road had also collapsed and was also closed.

Jim Fouché Road is partially closed at the intersection of Phil Allen Avenue, near Chamberlain hardware store, as a sinkhole is developing on the road.

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