Just days after signs of activity at the long-damaged Railway Street bridge in Plantation raised hopes that repairs were finally underway, the City of Ekurhuleni has revealed that the project is far from completion, dealing a major blow to expectations that the route could reopen within months.

In a response to questions from this publication, received more than a week after the enquiry was submitted, the metro confirmed that the newly appointed contractor has been tasked only with demolishing the damaged bridge deck, while the broader reconstruction project remains unfunded.

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While visible activity on site had suggested long-awaited repairs were finally commencing after years of delays following the December 2022 gas tanker explosion, the city has now acknowledged that only demolition work is currently funded and that it cannot provide a date for the reopening of Railway Street.

In response to questions from this publication, the city confirmed that Qophe Construction has been appointed to demolish the bridge deck following investigations that found the structure unsafe.
“Following an investigation, it was determined that the bridge structure is unsafe. Consequently, the demolition process was initiated as an immediate safety measure,” said metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

Project scope
The city outlined the full scope of the bridge recovery project, which includes:
• Demolition of the bridge deck
• Repairs to the bridge abutments
• Safeguarding and securing the affected area
• Installation of appropriate signage
• Stormwater infrastructure repairs
• The realignment and reconstruction of the road beneath the bridge.
However, only a portion of that work is currently funded.

According to Dlamini, for the 2025/26 financial year, the metro has allocated R800 000 to cover demolition, rubble removal, and site safeguarding. Rehabilitation of the road beneath the bridge and repairs to the abutments will depend on the availability of additional funding.

A further R500,000 has been allocated for the following financial year. However, the city acknowledged that the additional funding will still be insufficient to reconstruct the road beneath the bridge and repair the bridge abutments.

“As a result of the current funding shortfall, the city is unable to provide a definitive completion date or indicate when the route will be reopened to traffic,” responded Dlamini.

Frustrated residents and commuters who have endured years of traffic congestion and lengthy detours since the route was closed following the explosion have voiced their lost ofc confidence in the municipality’s ability to address the issue.

The bridge was among several pieces of infrastructure severely damaged when a gas tanker exploded beneath a railway bridge in Boksburg, killing 41 people and causing widespread destruction in the surrounding area.

Ward 32 Clr Marius de Vos previously welcomed indications that work was finally commencing at the site, but cautioned that the appointment of a contractor would mean little unless the city committed the resources needed to fully restore the route.

“The appointment of a contractor is only the beginning. The real test will be whether the city commits the resources necessary to rebuild and rehabilitate the road without further delays,” De Vos said at the time.

The municipality attributed the lengthy delay in addressing the bridge to investigations and feasibility studies conducted after the disaster to determine the extent of the structural damage and identify the most appropriate intervention measures.

When this publication visited the site on Wednesday morning, demolition of the bridge deck was already well advanced. Workers on site estimated that the demolition work could be completed by the end of June.

Also Read: UPDATE: Hope for commuters as long-delayed Plantation bridge repairs finally begin