Joburg Market reopens for trading after minor fire damage
MMC Mbundu has welcomed the swift response of the Joburg Market management and board since the incident took place.
The Joburg Market, the country’s biggest fresh produce market, has reopened its trading platform after the long weekend without any disruptions.
This comes after halls five and six were damaged by a minor fire on March 19.
At around 21:00, a section of the fruit hall caught fire at the electrical substation on the high voltage (HV) side.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS).
Preliminary observations indicate that a service provider, who specialises in electrical engineering services provided to the Joburg Market, was onsite and working on electrical reticulation in the affected section when the incident occurred.
Security personnel on duty immediately reported the incident to the EMS and Joburg Market maintenance department. EMS arrived onsite and extinguished the fire timeously.
The MMC for Economic Development, Nkuli Mbundu, Joburg Market Board chairperson Thokozani Twala and senior officials were onsite to ensure the market’s readiness. Initial clean-up operations have been concluded.
The affected area remains electrically isolated and will be cordoned off to ensure continuity of power to non-affected areas and the safety of staff and visitors.
Assessment of affected produce has been conducted, with the second phase of inspections on selected produce set to get underway to ensure that all risks are covered.
Mbundu has welcomed the swift response of the Joburg Market management and board since the incident took place and said, “We are in consultation with our industry partners, the Institute of Market Agents SA (IMASA) and all affected stakeholders; City Power has also been onsite to ensure contingency plans are in place and that operations go ahead as normal.”
“The Joburg Market remains committed to ensuring minimum disruptions to business operations and financial loss to the agri-food value chain,” added Twala.
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