The wait is over! After two years of closure, the Lilian Ngoyi Street, formerly known as Bree Street, will officially reopen to traffic.
Starting Friday, September 12, commuters and pedestrians will again be able to use what was once a bustling street in Johannesburg CBD.
The reopening comes two weeks after the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) announced the completion of phase one of the rehabilitation process. The street was extensively damaged due to an underground explosion in July 2023. The explosion led to the death of one person, leaving many others injured.
It was previously announced that users could regain access to the street as early as January 2026; however, on Thursday, 11 September, JRA announced that the opening would occur sooner.
The fully open intersections are Rissik, Joubert, Eloff, Von Brandis, and Wanderers streets. At the same time, access to and from Loveday Street and Kruis Street at Lilian Ngoyi Street will remain closed until further notice.
The rehabilitation project is reportedly valued at R192 million and is scheduled to end in August 2026.
The city has encouraged motorists to obey the signs of the road and for pedestrians and cyclists to walk on the new Lilian Ngoyi widened sidewalks and cross only at designated crossings.
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