Sorry for you Rondebult Road, CoE only has R54m to fix sinkholes across Ekurhuleni

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09-06-2026
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Boksburg Advertiser
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Many readers highlighted the daily traffic congestion, lengthy travel delays, deteriorating condition of alternative routes and the impact on businesses, commuters and residents.

Motorists in Boksburg and surrounding areas have voiced growing frustration over the continued closure of Rondebult Road in the Comet/Plantation area, where two large sinkholes opened more than three years ago.

The closure has forced traffic onto alternative routes, resulting in severe congestion and lengthy delays, particularly during peak hours. Residents and businesses say the situation continues to affect commuters, transport operators and the local economy.

Many road users had hoped the long-awaited repairs would be prioritised in the City of Ekurhuleni’s 2026/27 budget.

However, when tabling the metro’s R71b budget recently, MMC for Finance, Strategy and Corporate Planning and ICT Jongizizwe Dlabathi announced R54m for sinkhole repairs across the city – well below the estimated cost of more than R100m needed to permanently repair the Rondebult Road sinkholes alone.

The sinkhole along the southbound shoulder of Rondebult Road appears to be gradually growing, highlighting the need for a permanent repair solution.

While the metro has allocated R830m towards road and stormwater maintenance in the 2026/27 financial year, as well as R67m for traffic signal repairs and R5m for the establishment of its own asphalt batching plant, no specific allocation for the long-awaited repair of the Rondebult Road sinkholes was highlighted during the budget speech.

While the metro has acknowledged a significant backlog and says it will continue engaging with other spheres of government regarding sinkholes on provincial roads, there is still no clear timeline for the reopening of Rondebult Road.

Boksburg Advertiser contacted the metro for comment on May 29 but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Among the questions submitted were what progress has been made since the two holes first emerged, what has caused the delays, how much funding has been allocated to the project, and what measures are being implemented to ease traffic congestion and economic disruption in the area.

Readers speak out

The overwhelming sentiment among readers is one of frustration, anger and disbelief that more than three years after the sinkholes first appeared, there is still no permanent solution in sight.

Many readers highlighted the daily traffic congestion, lengthy travel delays, deteriorating condition of alternative routes and the impact on businesses, commuters and residents. Several questioned how repair projects can take so long, while others expressed concerns about accountability, funding and the apparent lack of progress.

A number of readers called for urgent intervention from authorities, while some suggested practical measures such as deploying traffic wardens at key intersections to ease congestion during peak hours.

What our Facebook readers have to say …

Paul Coetzee: If traffic wardens were stationed at the Main Reef Road and Comet Oaks intersections during peak hours, it could save motorists a lot of frustration.

Vanessa Fourie: I wish they would fix it. Traffic is a nightmare every single day.
Vernon Chetty: A trip to school and back used to take five minutes. Now it takes 30 to 40 minutes, sometimes even longer.
Carli Booysen: A 20-minute trip now takes me an hour, sometimes more. It’s truly frustrating.
Elmarie Knoetze: The lack of progress is impacting so many lives. We need a solution now.
Lu Lang: The closure causes so much stress and strain. We deserve better.
Leane Arkell Barkus: The traffic is horrendous and the alternative roads are deteriorating under the heavy traffic load.
Karen MacLaughlin: Not only has the sinkhole not been repaired, but the roads carrying the diverted traffic are not being maintained either.
Deidre Beattie Naude: I literally sold my house and moved so I wouldn’t have to travel through the area anymore.
Monique Schatz: What exactly is the backlog? Roads, sinkholes and traffic lights are getting worse, yet nothing seems to be improving.
Phillippus Gerber: This is a major road connecting parts of Boksburg. The situation is sad and unacceptable.
Audrey van Jaarsveld: The people using these roads are paying taxes. The road should be fixed as a priority.