Water crisis: Burst pipe causes new sinkhole in Pretoria

A sinkhole has developed in Die Wilgers in Pretoria East after a burst pipe in the area left residents without water for four days and counting.

It was uncertain exactly how long it would take to repair the new sinkhole in Roussouw Street.

There are massive sinkholes next to the N1 highway that caused multiple lanes to be closed and another saw Snake Road in Centurion declared unsafe for motorists and pedestrians months ago.

On Tuesday a section of the road around the traffic circle in Roussouw Street had been cordoned off with tape and cones after the sinkhole appeared on Monday.

Freedom Front Plus councillor Leonor Jansen van Rensburg said the current sinkholes in Tshwane, especially in Centurion, were a concern.

“The city does not have the budget to repair all the sinkholes,” she said. Jansen van Rensburg said the city’s geological department was investigating.

Democratic Alliance ward councillor Ben Chapman said: “The team has exposed the pipe and have discovered the cause of the sinkhole to be the stormwater pipe that moved over, probably due to age.”

Chapman said the site has been secured and the roads department has engaged with the infrastructure maintenance department to assess and work out a plan.

“There are three leaks from the 415mm water pipe. Two are next to the (nearby) stream and one further up on the stream next to the sinkhole,” he said.

Resident Monika Nagel said this problem dated back to 2019 and has cost taxpayers millions in temporary repairs.

“Now the whole infrastructure has collapsed and nobody knows what to do. On Friday the pipe had a full blowout at two different places. Rossouw Street is falling into a sinkhole.

“After three and a half days Tshwane has admitted defeat and has now called in a private contractor to assess the damage,” she said.

Nagel said they were without water in La Montagne, Murrayfield and parts of Die Wilgers.

“We have no idea for how long this time,” she said. “At the beginning of the year, the same pipe burst in Rossouw Street under the N4 highway bridge. And in April again,” she said.

Nagel said in April the MMC for utilities of Tshwane said he would investigate the matter but nothing had been done.

“We had the same problem again in May, June, August and now yet again in September,” she said.