“I can't afford to pay the rent any more. I am suffering now, it is very sensitive for me.”
Salim Vahora, 42, a businessman who sells blankets and repairs phones on Lillian Ngoyi (formerly Bree) Street in Johannesburg, says his business has dwindled over the past two years.
He said since the road collapsed in July 2023, his business has died and he had to live hand to mouth, taking out loans to cover rent and at times struggling to maintain his two children.
Vahora said before the road collapsed, he could generate about R1,500 a day, pay his bills and look after his family.
“People don't walk past here any more, and the corrugated zinc erected to close the road have made it worse for us. So many shops have closed here,” he said.
Vahora has been running his business on Lilian Ngoyi Street for the past five years, but the last two years have been harsh on and have taken a toll on his health.
“I can't manage to pay, and I can't manage to survive. I'm so broke with these things,” he said, adding he had seen that construction was progressing.
He complained that two years had been a long time.. “I have to borrow money from people just to survive. I have already borrowed over R50,000 just to survive,” he said.
On Monday, the speaker of the City of Johannesburg council, Nobuhle Mthembu, conducted an oversight visit to assess the restoration work.
The visit was part of the speaker's commitment to ensure accountability and transparency in the city’s service delivery and infrastructure restoration efforts.
The first phase of the restoration project is expected to be completed by August, while the second phase is expected to conclude by late next year.
She said they had been to the site about two months ago and were promised thata new, well-qualified contractor would meet the August deadline for the first phase.
She said the rehabilitation project was progressing well, unlike when they conducted their first oversight visit.
“There is progress, especially when you look at the tunnel. When we came here, it was probably six slabs, but today you can see how long the tunnel is.”
She said last year when they visited the site it was just a hole.
“But now you can see they are halfway through. So at least what they promised us two months back, they're sticking to their word,” she said.
She gave the assurance that there would be constant oversight to ensure the road is completed.
A tenant in one of the flats close to the street complained that since they barricaded the street, crime close to her apartment had increased.
“They left a small space for us to walk. It is just a passage, and criminals target tenants there,” said Aisha Bunaka.
She previously operated her salon on the ground floor of her apartment, but the business has dried up.
“People have been mugged here since they put up these barriers, it is just a passage for us to get into our flat. One woman was mugged several times.”
Tenants have been moving up as they can’t stand themuggings any more. “I used to have a salon here ... Things are bad, I cannot even pay the creche for my child. I can’t even properly look after my children because of what happened here. I have closed the business,” she said.
Before the collapse, Bunaka had been in the same flat for 10 years and could make money from her salon as the street was busy.
Clothing store owner Redi Adman echoed Vahora's sentiments. He said he had sold clothes at the same store since 2018 but the past two years had been very difficult as business went down.
He said since the road collapsed, he had laid off four employees. “We used to be eight here and now it is just the four of us as we no longer generate income like before. The street is no longer busy and we don't even know when they will finish the rehabilitation project,” he said. .
“Money is no longer coming in like before. There is nothing we can do. It is not easy to just open the shop in another place. To me, it is a nightmare and I don't think this road will ever be finished,” he said.
He added that before the collapse, his business was doing well and he was able to pay his bills and his employees.
The rehabilitation project was initiated after a gas explosion resulted in the collapse of about 450 metres of Lilian Ngoyi Street, between Harrison and Kruis streets.
The incident caused substantial damage to vital underground infrastructure, including stormwater and electrical networks.
Despite recent adverse weather conditions that threatened to delay progress, an acceleration plan was implemented to mitigate potential setbacks.
As part of the recovery strategy, the contractor mobilised additional resources and extended working hours, including weekend shifts.
Zazele Dube, site manager for Korone Engineers, said they had extended working hours and had so far completed about 55% of the work of the first phase of the project.
“We've got more labour resources so that we can meet the target,” he said.
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