Beware of early signs of sinkholes
Residents are warned against accessing a cordoned off area as this may result in the unfortunate loss of life
With the persistent rainfall, the City of Ekurhuleni advises residents to monitor signs and the development of sinkholes in their properties.
Based on the study conducted in 2010, Ekurhuleni is 52% dolomitic and 48% of its land is free from dolomite. That should be worrying for residents.
The metro pointed out that some of the early signs of a development of a sinkhole are tilting of one side of a house, slight sinking of the ground, or depression or unexplainable holes in the yard, no matter how small this may be.
According to the municipality, sinkholes are caused mainly by stagnant water and constant water pipe leaks which result in underground erosion.
In order to mitigate against water pipe leaks and resultant development of sinkholes, the city is replacing the old concrete pipes with more flexible pipes that can withstand the unstable grounds. “These pipes are able to move, without breaking, with the ground as the earth shifts for any reason,” said metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
The public is advised to use professionals when building or extending their homes because they will know how to navigate the building conditions, conduct land surveying and know fitting building material for specific land conditions.
If residents see suspicious dolomite or sinkhole signs, they may walk into their local Customer Care Centre (CCC) or call 011 999 4666 /4940 to report.
“Once the matter is reported, the city sends a team of experts to inspect the reported incident. “Based on the assessment, the affected occupants may be requested to evacuate the property affected by the sinkhole, depending on the risk posed by such a sinkhole,” explained Dlamini.
Should an evacuation be recommended, the area will be condoned off to deny unauthorised access. A detailed geotechnical investigation is then conducted to determine the possible cause and the extent of the sinkhole.
Rehabilitation then commences and the area is reinstated to its original state. The affected occupants are then advised when to return.
The public is warned against accessing a cordoned off property as this may result in the unfortunate loss of life, because the decision to evacuate is informed by the threat as demonstrated by the investigation by experts.
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