BUILDING: Mayor of Joburg Herman Mashaba and MMC Nonhlanhla Makhuba BUILDING: Mayor of Joburg Herman Mashaba and MMC Nonhlanhla Makhuba
THE City of Joburg launched the Diepsloot pedestrian bridge on Thursday, to ensure residents are safe during flash flooding.
Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba and MMC for transport Nonhlanhla Makhuba were at the launch of the project, to be funded by the Johannesburg Roads Agency.
The bridge will assist Diepsloot residents to cross the Jukskei River during periods of flooding.
To commemorate the construction of the bridge, Mashaba held a sod-turning ceremony at the site of the development, watched by a group of excited community members.
The structure of the bridge forms part of the city’s commitment to improve public
safety and stormwater management, and arrest residential flooding.
Mashaba said that as it embarked on the new financial year, the city was honouring its commitment to residents of Diepsloot by fast-tracking the bridge’s construction.
“The erection of this pedestrian bridge will play a significant role in the lives of local residents by linking Extension 1
to Extension 2 with a safe passage during times of heavy rains and flash flooding. Most importantly, it aims to prevent accidental deaths and injury,” said Mashaba.
He also said construction of the pedestrian bridge was reflective of the city’s commitment to enhancing quality of life by improving services and fostering caring, safe and secure communities while also being responsive to environmental factors.
The bridge will be built in the area where Angel Sibanda lost her life after being swept away by flash floods when she tried to cross a stream last year.
Many of the residents were happy to know that the construction will soon be under way.
Salphina Nenzhelele, one of the residents of Diepsloot, said she was very happy that jobs would also be available to the community for this project.
The project is expected to be completed next July.
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