Pretoria - The City of Tshwane is still assessing the cause of a plethora of sinkholes in Centurion after the latest one developed overnight in the close-knit suburb of Lyttelton last week.
There are reportedly 48 sinkholes in Centurion that still need to be repaired by the City of Tshwane with the latest forming on Sunday last week on Burger Street.
The street was forced to be closed off due to the sinkhole that started as a small hole but later two properties were closaed off in the area, making it impossible for cars to drive on the road. According to officials, the area is prone to sinkholes because it lies on a dolomite rock which dissolves over time when exposed to rain and stormwater, causing destruction to private property.
This has become a problem in the area as it threatens the lives of residents, motorists, businesses, and jobs due to road closures that decrease sales.
In the latest incident residents had to evacuate their house after the gate and wall fence had sunk completely into the ground in Burger Street.
Speaking to the Pretoria News, metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said City officials were on-site assessing the extent of the damage. He said: “The sinkhole is still progressing, but continued assessments are being done to determine the full extent of the affected area.
“The road is barricaded and further safeguarding of the affected area is under way.”
Tshwane Roads and Transport MMC Katlego Mathebe said the metro was prioritising tending to the sinkholes.
“Each sinkhole is allocated values based on the extent of the factors, the total of which makes up a final value.
“The sinkholes are subsequently ranked in order of the highest value and the highest priority to repair to the lowest value and lowest priority to repair,” she said.
Mathebe added that this system prolonged fixing the sinkholes which has also caused backlogs.
Meanwhile, a massive sinkhole that formed next to the N1, also in Centurion, is reportedly expected to be completely repaired next year.
The large sinkhole started forming in January 2022 following a rain storm and flooding in the area, disrupting the traffic flow on the highway because two left southbound lanes have been closed to give the municipality space to rehabilitate the damage.
The repairs initially started in January and were projected to take nine months to complete. SA National Road Agency northern region manager, Progress Hlahla, urged motorists to be careful and expect disruptions because of the rehabilitation process.
He advised motorists to be patient during traffic disruptions for the first phase of the work and to plan their trips accordingly.
“Motorists should consider alternative routes and use caution when making use of the roads.
“Some lanes will be kept open to traffic during the contractual work, however, outside of temporary lane closures for ad hoc works executions these will be notified in advance, as per the contract,” Hlahla said.
Pretoria News