Open hole cause sinkhole concerns
Several other sinkholes have occurred next to the road to the school before.
A sewage-filled hole in Khutsong that municipal contractors have left open for the past two weeks in a sinkhole-prone area is causing concern.
The open veld around Hlanganani Primary School in Khutsong Extension 3 has been a hotspot in our area regarding sinkhole formation for the past 15 years.
The Merafong City Local Municipality has still not addressed a sinkhole that collapsed opposite the school in 2021.
Merafong argued that it did not have money and was waiting for the Gauteng Provincial Government to assist.
At least five other sinkholes have caved in on the same side of the road in recent years, all due to leaks in the sewerage network.
Three big sinkholes on the opposite side of the road to the school were open for years. The municipality eventually closed them around 2017.
After streets in Extension 3 were flooded with sewage for months, the municipality dug open the maintenance hole it claimed had caused the problems two weeks ago.
Since then, large quantities of sewage have leaked from its damaged sides.
Luckily, the municipality cordoned off the hole, about three metres deep. No work has been done at this hole since it was dug, however.
“It is good that the municipality finally decided to do something about the problem, but they cannot just leave it open. Three sinkholes happened in the same area before. If they do not fix the maintenance hole and fill the hole up, we will soon have another sinkhole,” says Chucku Kerileng, a community leader who lives within walking distance from the hole.
Other residents have also complained about the smell of the sewage and the dangers of the large open hole.
The Herald took the matter to the municipality.
“The municipality dug a huge hole to replace a burnt manhole. It will complete the work in May,” promised the marketing and communications manager, Mr Temba Fezani.
