The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is spearheading the completion of the Bolani bridge, which is envisaged to reduce traffic by improving mobility and travel convenience between the Soweto suburbs of Jabulani and Molapo.
Despite being located a stone’s throw away from each other, Molapo and Jabulani are separated by a railway line, which cuts across the two areas. The new bridge is intended to make it easier to travel from Molapo to the Jabulani development node via Molele Street.
“The introduction of the Bolani Bridge will see the Jabulani node become a more sustainable development in the area, allowing a socially and economically integrated environment between these two communities of Molapo and Jabulani,” says Belinda Echeozonjoku, the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning.
The bridge construction, which is nearly 80 percent complete, has been hampered by load shedding, which has slowed the project’s progress. But the JDA says work is steaming ahead to complete construction within the current term of office.
The scope of work includes extending and upgrading an existing pedestrian bridge at Inhlazane train station, building a new pedestrian and vehicular bridge over the railway line, and upgrading the road and public infrastructure around the neighbouring Soweto communities.
“This project is another example of how the City is producing safe, attractive, and liveable environments that promote social cohesion and encourage further investment,” says Cllr Echeozonjoku.
The JDA says once completed, the project will be advantageous for both the communities of Molapo and Jabulani as the bridge is expected to reduce crime in the area, which occurs along the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA) railway line, running parallel to Molele Street. The bridge is also expected to curb the high rate of deaths and accidents that happen here due to people crossing the railway line illegally.
“We are incredibly happy to be part of this project. It’s good to see young people getting employment because unemployment in Molapo is very rife. This tender provided my son with a job, and it has made an enormous difference because I was the only one working at home,” says Buhle Tshabalala, a resident of Molapo, expressing her joy and excitement for the project.
Cllr Echeozonjoku says the Molapo bridge construction aligns with the JDA’s goal of supporting the growth and development of the Jabulani business node as a catalyst for creating an economically viable, integrated environment that connects people with opportunities to live, work, and play.
The Soweto suburb of Jabulani boasts a largescale shopping centre, a municipal office, social housing, a theatre, a hospital, a cultural precinct, and other government facilities. It has been identified as one of the City’s signature projects for using transit-oriented development (TOD) as a catalyst to accelerate socio-economic growth, by revitalising a neighbourhood for residents, commuters, businesses, and visitors.
A key enabler of the City’s long-term strategy, the TOD seeks to establish a vibrant, liveable community in a compact, walkable neighbourhood, centred on high-quality transport systems, says the MMC.
Written by Gontse ‘GeE’ Hlophe
02/03/2022