Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau on Wednesday evening announced that two people had died and 23 others were injured when a pedestrian bridge under construction collapsed.
Witnesses said the bridge near the Grayston off ramp, that leads to Sandton, collapsed after strong winds hit the area. Scaffolding, debris and metal structures supporting the bridge fell on to cars driving along the M1. Some cars were trapped under the rubble.
Tau said for now the city was focused on “emergency” work that had to be done. He warned the freeway was unlikely to be open to traffic Thursday.
He said the CIty had decided to make available Park and Ride buses taking part in the Ecomobililty World Festival free of charge to assist the public in accessing Sandton.
Emergency workers had managed to free passengers from a trapped taxi.
Two people, both alive, were still trapped in the vehicle under the rubble.
Tau said the City would eventually resuscitate the project because “10 00 people” presently walk across the Grayston bridge.
