Storm damage on 5th March 2025
Jozi is well-known for its dramatic weather in summer – spectacular electrical storms with streaks of lightning and loud thunder claps. Climate change has added to these extremes in weather with rainfall that has been much heavier than usual. And the 5th March this year saw one of those evenings when, in a mad deluge, a humungous bucket of water was emptied from above!
Following this hectic rain storm, (and the parlous state, or even straight absence of Johannesburg’s storm water drainage system), what’s affectionately known as “the Blue Bridge” at Delta Park, was damaged.
Delta Park is a large green lung area along the Braamfontein Spruit and surrounded by several suburbs. A lot of people who walk to work from one suburb to another, need to cross the spruit (from Victory Park to Craighall Park for example) and there are only very few pedestrian crossing points, with the Blue Bridge being one of them.
Safety of the damaged bridge
There have been differing opinions about the safety of the Blue Bridge. A private engineer has deemed the bridge to be unsafe, while another has suggested it is stable for use. But it is the Municipality that is responsible for its repair. So when damaged they erected a barbed-wire closure across the bridge. That lasted a day! So the next day a more substantial sheet of metal closed off the bridge. It was not long before a little door was cut in this barricade to allow determined commuters and quite a few recreational walkers and dog walkers to brave the bridge.
Informal Traders
In the mean time those informal traders who ply their wares near the bridge have been severely impacted. William who makes and sells beautiful little beaded birds has moved further north down the Spruit to the vehicle bridge on Conrad Drive, while Irene continues to sell the household items she sews.
