Ekurhuleni metro investigating potentially hazardous Benoni dam wall collapse
Part of the dam wall has caved in, and could become a hazard if not fixed immediately.
Water flowing into the collapsed piece of the retainer wall
The metro are on scene inspecting the site for the possibility of what could become a flood, after the partial collapse of the retainer wall of the lake in the Benoni CBD, reports Benoni City Times.
“If nothing is done then this could become a potential hazard but we will be working as quickly as possible to resolve the matter,” said Chris Mthombeni from the Ekurhuleni metro’s environmental control.
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According to community activist Mary Goby, a part of the wall sunk in and water is now gushing into the sunken piece, threatening a potential collapse of the entire structure.
Partially collapsed wall seen from the N12
“The sunken piece was noticed and brought to our attention two days ago,” said Goby on Sunday.
“I requested drone footage from one of our community members, Juandre Vorster, so we could better understand the extent of the damage.”
Drone still image supplied by Juandre Vorster
“From what can be seen, water is flowing into the sunken piece. The water is building up and pushing the wall from the bottom,” Vorster explained.
Goby said she had contacted the Ekurhuleni metro and the Disaster Emergency Management Services (DEMS) regarding the situation.
“DEMS will be taking the necessary precautionary steps to ensure the correct measures are put in place to rectify the situation and hopefully avoid a total collapse,” she said.
Mthombeni said the EMPD and DEMS are present at the site and are waiting for the engineers assigned to assist.
“Once they arrive, together we will be able to find a solution and avoid any potential hazards,” he explained.
According to Mthombeni, roads surrounding the area will not be impacted by the damage to the dam.
Goby said at this point she can only hope and pray the matter is resolved quickly and a disaster is avoided.
At the time of publishing, DEMS was unavailable for comment.
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