Nelson Mandela Bridge
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Nelson Mandela Bridge | |
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| Coordinates | 26°11′48″S 28°02′03″E / 26.1967°S 28.0342°E / -26.1967; 28.0342 |
| Carries | Road and pedestrian traffic |
| Crosses | Railway yard (42 lines) |
| Locale | Johannesburg |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Dissing+Weitling |
| Total length | 284m |
| Height | 27m |
| Longest span | 176m |
| History | |
| Opened | 2003 |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Nelson Mandela Bridge | |
Nelson Mandela Bridge is a bridge in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the fourth of five bridges which cross the railway lines and sidings located just west of Johannesburg Park Station, the first being the Johan Rissik Bridge adjacent to the station.[1] It was completed in 2003, and cost R38 million[2] to build.[3][4][5] The proposal for the bridge was to link up two main business areas of Braamfontein and Newtown as well as to rejuvenate and to a certain level modernise the inner city. The bridge forms part of the M27 Route of Johannesburg. Nelson Mandela Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in Southern Africa, for 21 years, until it was overtaken by the Msikaba Bridge.[6][7]
A bridge linking Braamfontein to the Johannesburg city centre was first mooted by Steve Thorne and Gordon Gibson, urban designers, in 1993 in their urban design study of the Inner City of Johannesburg. In their study they named the bridge the Nelson Mandela bridge in recognition of the role Nelson Mandela was having in uniting South African society, and the symbolism of linkage and unity provided by the bridge.
Design
The bridge was constructed over 42 railway lines without disturbing railway traffic and is 284 metres long.There are two pylons, North and South, 42 and 27 metres high respectively. Engineers tried to keep the bridge as light as possible and used a structural steel with a concrete composite deck to keep weight down. Heavier banks along the bridge were reinforced by heavier back spans. The bridge consists of two lanes and has pedestrian walk-ways on either side. The bridge can be viewed from one of Johannesburg's most popular roads, the M1 highway. 4,000 cubic metres of concrete and 1,000 tons of structural steel were used to construct the bridge. The bridge is lit in rainbow colours at night.[8]
Public use and events
The bridge is frequently used as a site for public demonstrations and symbolic displays due to its central location and high visibility within Johannesburg. Various civic, political, and social groups have held gatherings on the bridge to draw public attention to their causes.[9][10][11]
In October 2023 and January 2026, crowds gathered on the bridge to raise awareness of Israeli hostages held in Gaza following the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel, during which thousands of civilians were killed, including hundreds at the Nova music festival.[12][13]
References
- ↑ Johan Rissik Bridge was in the same location as Nelson Mandela bridge, but it was the first one there.
- ↑ "Nelson Mandela Bridge | Attractions | Culture | History | Affordable | Transport | Day Trips | Nelson Mandela | Vibrant culture (ZM)". www.southafrica.net. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- ↑ "city of Johannesburg - Newtown: your guide". Archived from the original on 3 January 2014.
- ↑ "Nelson Mandela Bridge, Johannesburg, South Africa - Verdict Traffic". Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ↑ "The Nelson Mandela Bridge". Archived from the original on 15 June 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ↑ "Nelson Mandela Bridge, Johannesburg | South African History Online". sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ↑ "South Africa's longest suspension bridge right now – and the one that will overtake it in 2025". Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ↑ "Nelson Mandela Bridge, Johannesburg | South African History Online". sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ↑ "Feature: People's March at South Africa's largest city calls for "No Bullying"". english.news.cn. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ↑ "#ZumaMustFall protest review". Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ↑ Tankle, Lee (30 January 2026). "Nelson Mandela Bridge demonstration closes hostage chapter". SA Jewish Report. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ↑ Gruzd, Steven (2 November 2023). "Nelson Mandela Bridge makes hostage missing link". SA Jewish Report. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ↑ Roth, Andrew (7 October 2024). "'The pain will never leave': Nova massacre survivors return to site one year on". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
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