Doornfontein Blast Under Investigation
The City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Public Safety, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, has said that a full investigation is underway following an explosion in Doornfontein, reports SABC News. The explosion of a transformer in a storage room in a student accommodation building led to the collapse of an adjacent wall. Four people, three security guards and a student, were injured. Tshwaku assured residents that the surrounding buildings are safe and the area has been secured. He said that teams are working around the clock to determine the cause, including checking for possible underground gas lines. The affected building has been evacuated as authorities continue their probe.
Johannesburg Scrambles to Restore Water After Major Outages
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Johannesburg MMC for Environment and Infrastructure, Jack Sekwaila, has said the city is working with major water utilities to restore supply after outages left residents in Midrand and parts of Johannesburg without water for several days, reports EWN. The shortages followed emergency repairs and operational disruptions at key Rand Water facilities, also affecting parts of Tshwane. Speaking during a visit to a wall collapse in Doornfontein, Sekwaila said that reservoirs from Klipfontein to Midrand had been completely emptied, meaning recovery could take up to a week. He said pumping efforts are continuing around the clock, but residents may still experience shortages in the meantime, noting that outlets are often closed at night to help the system stabilise.
IBT Summit Tackles Housing Backlog and Urbanisation
The Innovative Building Technologies (IBT) Summit begins in Johannesburg with a focus on addressing South Africa’s severe housing backlog and the pressures of rapid urbanisation, reports SABC News. President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the two-day gathering, which seeks to advance Innovative solutions for the delivery of sustainable human settlements. The meeting will bring together government, the building and construction industry, academia, investors, and civil society organisations. This summit aims to strengthen policy integration of IBT within human settlements, to foster collaboration and investment between government, the private sector, and non-profit organizations, among other things.
