By Palesa Matlala and Selloane Ntshoyane
- Businesses are shutting down and crime is rising as delays drag on in Bree Street repairs.
- City spent millions on upgrades, but the street is still dark, filthy and full of rubble.
One of the busiest streets in Johannesburg’s CBD has turned into a “ghost alley” nearly two years after a deadly gas explosion rocked the area.
Lillian Ngoyi Street, formerly known as Bree Street, is still in ruins despite the city setting aside almost R192 million to fix it. Businesses are struggling, shops are closing, and crime is getting worse.
The explosion in 2023 killed one person and injured 40 others. The damage to the road forced hundreds of shops to shut down or move elsewhere.
In 2024, the City of Johannesburg said it had budgeted nearly R192 million to restore the street.
But only R2 million was paid to Step-Up, an engineering company that got the tender. The contract was later cancelled by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) due to poor performance.
That tender included clearing rubble and fixing electricity lines and sewage systems. But the area remains in darkness and covered in filth, with heavy rain causing more delays.
A new contractor has started phase one of the repairs, but business owners say it’s too little, too late.
Ibrahim Moosa, 40, runs a cellphone repair shop and was forced to shut down for six months after the blast.
“I couldn’t afford the rent anymore so I had to go work for someone else while saving money,” he said.
He returned to his shop at the end of 2024, hoping to bounce back. But things have only gotten worse.
“There are about 200 shops on this street. Some are open, others are closed. We don’t know when this road will be fixed — it’s been too long,” said Moosa.
Orbed Masii, 28, a street vendor, said the explosion drove people away, leaving the street dangerous and dirty.
“People are scared to walk here — this is Joburg and muggings happen. You can’t even see what’s happening on the other side of the road,” he said.
Masii said residents haven’t heard a word from their ward councillor.
“This street is a mess. People dump rubbish everywhere and urinate in the corners. Businesses have shut down.”
Councillor Nobuhle Mthembu told Scrolla.Africa that phase one repairs should be finished by August 2025 — if the rain doesn’t delay things. Phase two is planned for August 2026.
“Residents are not happy. This explosion happened in 2023 and people are still suffering,” said Mthembu.
She said councillors have visited the site and they are “not proud” of what they’ve seen.
“People have every right to complain. This affects their lives and businesses are leaving the area.”
Pictured above: The street remains closed off and covered in rubble after the explosion.
Image source: Selloane Ntshoyane
