Sinkhole endangers Dewittsrus residents

Dewittsrus residents have lived with a sinkhole for the last two years, which now threatens their lives, and have reported it to Ward Councillor Ivan Naidoo.

The sinkhole has affected a road that pedestrians primarily use as it was closed to cars because of its condition.

Frustrated resident Laurika van der Westhuizen said they had reported the matter to the councillor, but he took no action.

She said his only response to her was that the roads department had indicated it was sending out a team to investigate the damage and then check on the funding to repair it.

The residents first reported the sinkhole to the municipality at the beginning of last year. They again reported it on February 27 with a new reference number – 069920250227.

The property owner next to the street where the sinkhole is has tried to fill the hole with rubble to make it safer for people who use the road.

“The reason I tried to close this sinkhole is because it is getting closer to my property and will eventually only damage my and other properties,” a resident said.

Van der Westhuizen again addressed the matter with Naidoo on March 17 after logging it on February 27, saying the matter was worse than last week because cracks had appeared all over the property’s pavement next to the sinkhole.

Naidoo responded, saying the matter went to the city manager and the department, and he follows up daily.

The Alberton Record contacted the councillor for a response on the matter. He said he had escalated it to the roads department, which assured him that a team would investigate the damage.

He also said the department would assign a budget for the road repairs, and he was still waiting for their report.