The heavy rains at the beginning of last week, have resulted in various sinkholes in and around Laudium and Erasmia, causing damage to both vehicles and property.
Many roads have been closed due to the sudden caving in of ground, causing huge traffic congestions. It is unclear as to how long these roads will remain closed, as officials are still assessing the damage.
The biggest congestion for local motorists was caused when a portion of the R55 dual carriageway just outside Laudium, was closed as a result of a sinkhole that appeared on the R55 between 1st Avenue and 3rd Avenue, and was first noticed last Friday afternoon (March 23). The sinkhole is suspected to be linked to the collapsing of the rear boundary wall of a 2nd Avenue, Laudium home. According to City of Tshwane officials, the road will remain closed indefinitely. Traffic is currently being diverted via two single lanes on the eastern side of the dual carriageway.
Meanwhile, Laudium residents have been urged to make use of alternate entrances to the suburb.
Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for roads and transport, Sheila Senkubuge, said that another sinkhole occurred on Stephanus Schoeman Road in Valhalla on Thursday, March 22, also due to the persistent rain fall. “We have received reports from our technical team that a section of the roadway measuring about five metres wide has caved in, resulting in a defined hole of about three metres in depth,” Sheila said.
“The sinkhole is adjacent to the closed Valhalla landfill site and borders the military property in the area. A motor vehicle drove into the sinkhole on Friday,” the MMC said. She added that it remained unclear at the moment how long it would take to repair the damaged roads.
Concerning the mushrooming of potholes in the area, Sheila said: “We urge residents to be patient as potholes cannot be repaired while the roads are still wet. The teams will start repair work in the coming week and we ask that road users be cooperative and cautious as the teams do their work.”
MMC Sheila said that the programme would be accelerated upon the appointment of Level 1 contractors. “The procurement process of contractors is at an advanced stage and the appointment of local labour will commence once the processes are concluded,” she said. The heavy rains in Pretoria, last week, caused damage to many roads and property; the Centurion Lake Hotel was flooded and scores of people were evacuated from flooded homes in northern parts of the metro.
A portion of the R55 dual carriageway, just outside Laudium, that has cracked and is beginning to sink in after the heavy rainfall last week.
The rear boundary wall of a 2nd Avenue, Laudium home, started collapsing after the heavy rains last week.
A sinkhole adjacent to the Valhalla landfill site appeared suddenly last Friday, almost swallowing a motor vehicle.