Residents demand actions while Blue Bridge remains closed

More than two months after the Blue Bridge in Craighall Park was damaged structurally, the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) have not yet taken action, despite the bridge being closed, deemed dangerous.

Read more: WATCH: Blue Bridge deemed unsafe – Avoid

Serious floods on March 5, and again on March 26, caused significant harm to the pedestrian bridge connecting Craighall Park and Delta Park across the Braamfontein Spruit. Following the flooding incident, JRA carried out an emergency footbridge inspection, in response to public worries about its condition. Khaya Gqibitole, acting head of Department for Infrastructure Planning, said preliminary evaluations found the following main concerns: Serious riverbank erosion, compromising the footing and abutments of the bridge, decay of the deck and vital structural components, and flood-related overtopping, speeding the destabilisation of the structure. Shortly thereafter, the bridge was closed, but because there are no other secure pedestrian crossings in the area, residents, employees, dog walkers, and schoolchildren continue to use it daily.

This ongoing usage presents a significant and immediate public safety risk. Residents now rely on a makeshift crossing, constructed by a community member, a temporary solution made from rudimentary materials, which Ward 90 councillor Martin Williams has publicly warned is not ideal. “It’s great that someone stepped up to create a temporary crossing. It’s helped people get by, but it’s not the safest. We need a proper, safe solution in place.”

Controversies over the bridge’s jurisdictional situation have also arisen. The Blue Bridge is not listed in JRA’s bridge management system and GIS database. “While JRA has actively evaluated the condition of the bridge, our bridge management system (BMS) and GIS database indicate the ownership of the structure is unknown. The bridge construction is not listed among our maintained infrastructure. Based on the location, and characteristics of the bridge, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) likely bears maintenance responsibility.”

Also read: Blue Bridge in Craighall damaged after severe storm in Johannesburg

We are currently awaiting a response from JCPZ spokesperson Jenny Moodley regarding the agency’s position on the matter.

All of this inaction is particularly alarming given the legal framework open for intervention. Formally acknowledged under the Disaster Management Act, the storms, which wreaked havoc on Gauteng, allow legal access to disaster relief money for rebuilding infrastructure in affected provinces, including Gauteng. Williams, along with local stakeholders, claim the present inaction is without procedural justification.

Responding, residents and business owners in Craighall Park have started a petition. The petition calls for quick action, including a public promise to fix the Blue Bridge, confirmation of funding requests under the national disaster relief system, and a stakeholder location meeting within 14 days. It also demands that a formal written update be given to the residents, including specifications for structural evaluations, financing distribution, and temporary safety precautions.

According to Williams: “There is not enough urgency to restore the passageway across the Braamfontein Spruit in Craighall Park.”

The city officials’ reaction to the pressing public danger remains unclear. Ongoing inaction points to a failing governance. The neighbourhood has done its share, now it rests on the city, and its agencies, to safeguard public safety and rebuild critical infrastructure, before it’s too late.

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