Bongani Nkosi and Kamogelo Masalesa are the first two students to use the Kingsway bridge

RELATED LINKS: Bridge building stops traffic WHILE most people were still lazing over a weekend morning, by 9am on Saturday, 21 January, construction workers, engineers and architects were hard at work putting in the massive, 120-ton carriage slabs on the three pillars of the new Kingsway Bridge across Kingsway Road, in Auckland Park. Read more No more dodge 'em for students IN a bid to make getting to lectures on time easier and safer, the University of Johannesburg is building a pedestrian bridge across the busy Kingsway Road at its Auckland Park campus. Read more Nelson Mandela Bridge a fitting tribute PARIS has its Eiffel Tower, New York its Statue of Liberty, Sydney its Harbour Bridge. On 20 July, Johannesburg opens the largest cable-stayed bridge in southern Africa. Who else to name it after but Nelson Mandela, the man who led South Africa across the apartheid divide? Read more

Kingsway Bridge opens to student feet The R8-million Kingsway Bridge, linking the University of Johannesburg's parking lot with its Kingsway campus, has finally been opened. And students will no longer have to dodge traffic on their way to lectures. March 29, 2006 By Emmanuel Mulaudzi STUDENTS can now get to lectures on time - and safely - after the University of Johannesburg's vice-chancellor, Derrick van der Merwe, opened a pedestrian bridge across the busy Kingsway Road. The bridge was opened on Tuesday, 28 March. It links the university with one of its parking lots. "The bridge will lead visitors and students past the roof garden of the gallery complex and encourage views into the art court, theatre lobby and gallery," said Herman Esterhuizen, the university's media relations manager. According to a university press release, the 36,4 metre long pedestrian bridge cost about R8-million and it links Kingsway campus's external parking area with the inner campus grounds. Speaking at the opening, Van der Merwe said that the bridge would serve as a gateway to the Kingsway campus and become a popular route to the university's new theatre and art centre. New gateway to the University of Johannesburg: university vice-chancellor Professor Derrick van der Merwe and project director Koos de Wet open the Kingsway bridge The bridge's project director, Koos de Wet, said it would serve as a security measure, adding that students were robbed of items like cellphones while crossing the road. He praised the pivotal role played by the Johannesburg Property Company in making the project a successful one. "[The company] gave us the right to construct a bridge across Kingsway Road." The heavy loading of the bridge was done by Stefannuti and Bresson Civils, the construction and civil engineering company. According to Malcolm Dold of Themba Constructions, the company that designed the bridge, it was designed and built with concrete so that it matched the campus buildings. A partnership would be established between the company and the university so that student designers and engineers were offered work experience opportunities to explore their careers, he said. Bongani Nkosi and Kamogelo Masalesa were the first two students to use the bridge, striding across just a few minutes after it was officially opened. "We have been waiting for this moment for a long time, since construction started last year, and we are very proud of it and the fact that it will protect us students," said Nkosi, walking towards the parking lot. The gently curved bridge commands a view all the way to SABC in Auckland Park, and at night it is illuminated by stainless steel lampposts. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za