Residents, govt hit brick wall over growing sinkhole on busy road

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05-06-2025
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Sowetan Live
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A growing sinkhole on a key provincial road connecting Gauteng and the North West has sparked frustration among residents and local businesses who say the Gauteng department of roads and transport is moving too slowly to fix the problem. 

Members of the Oaktree Business Forum (OBF) say they attempted to help close the sinkhole along the R563 in Muldersdrift, Krugersdorp, which has posed a serious danger to road users since February.

However, they allege that the department blocked their efforts, saying they needed a wayleave, the permission needed to do the work. "Just the other day as I drove past, children were playing inside the sinkhole and that encouraged me even more to do something," said OBF's Geert Van Geest.

“We have over 350 staff who travel this route daily. We thought a temporary fix would at least reduce the risk. There have already been a few accidents.” 

Van Geest said their request to help has gone unanswered for over a month, with no clarity on timelines. “We understand the need for proper investigations, but in the meantime, the priority should be to prevent it from getting worse.”

However, Gauteng roads and transport MEC spokesperson Lesiba Mpya said a sinkhole is not just a hole that must be filled but something that demands technical experts to assess before coming up with a plan of action.

" We welcome engagement and collaboration towards solving the problem from different stakeholders including the private sector. What we will not allow is an approach as if we are papering over this.  A sinkhole is a serious service delivery imperative. Currently there is a process under way to determine a timeline and how much it may cost to fix this,” he said.

"We welcome engagement and collaboration towards solving the problem from different stakeholders including the private sector. What we will not allow is an approach as if we are papering over this." - Lesiba Mpya

"The area is near the Cradle of Humankind and Sterkfontein Caves, where dolomite formations are sensitive. The assessment will also look at municipal infrastructure like underground pipes, which often contribute to sinkholes. The assessment will give us an update on their integrity state. Part of what contributes to sinkholes is also municipal pipes that are decaying underground.” 

According to Oaktree resident Trevor Brough, using the road is a nightmare. "One has to be careful when driving there as large trucks at times don’t even slow down. If you are in front of one, it can lead to serious consequences as they seem to think you must just get out of their way. The problem gets worse at night as there aren’t any streetlights."

He said as a resident in the area for about 30 years, there were additional concerns as the geology (dolomite) of the area tends to have sinkholes. “The current sinkhole is number four along the R563 in a distance of less than two kilometres which does raise a question on the geological stability of the area.  There is always a question of where the next one will be.”