Joburg taxpayers will have to pay for CBD blast repairs after govt rejects disaster declaration – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

National government has denied the City of Johannesburg’s request to apply for a local state of disaster after the Lilian Ngoyi Street explosion.

The City of Johannesburg will have to foot the bill for the Lilian Ngoyi Street repairs after its request to declare a local state of disaster, which would unlock much-needed funding from the National Treasury, was denied by the national government.

The City estimated that it would cost around R178 million to fix Lilian Ngoyi Street (formerly Bree Street) which suffered a massive gas explosion on 19 July.

The blast was caused by methane gas that bubbled to the highest point of the cavity under the road. The gas was trapped in the tunnel because manholes had been welded shut to prevent cable theft, and a spark from an unknown origin ignited it.