CoE to repair Rondebult Rd
The delay in repairing the road was attributed to a back-and-forth discussion between the metro and the CGS on who should take the responsibility between the municipality and the provincial government.
The CoE confirmed it had finally reached a decision to repair the stretch of Rondebult Road damaged by the two massive sinkholes which opened in Comet.
The decision came after authorities broke the almost seven-month stalemate over who should fix the road since the first hole was discovered in February, prompting authorities to close this section of the road as a precautionary measure.
The second sinkhole opened up last week (September 14) on the southbound hard shoulder adjacent to the first hole, which was discovered on the northbound hard shoulder of the road.
“The city is concerned about the developing sinkholes on Rondebult Road in Boksburg.
“When the initial sinkhole occurred, the city immediately informed the Department of Minerals and the Council for Geo Sciences (CGS) to identify the cause of the problem and the best way of rehabilitation.
While it remains unclear what the cause of the sinkholes could be because the sinkhole is not dolomite-related, the city still believes the cause could be related to mining activities in the area,” said Dlamini.
Dlamini said a team of experts visited the area to investigate.
“Upon conclusion of these investigations, the city will immediately embark on a rehabilitation exercise and re-prioritise its budget to this project. The focus will be on rehabilitating the affected parts of Rondebult Road and the road reserve,” he said.
“Given that the sinkholes are within a road reserve, to fast-track the rehabilitation of the sinkhole area and surrounds, the city will re-prioritise its budget towards this project so that the area is safe for both motorists and pedestrians,” explained Dlamini.
The city thanked affected communities and road users for their patience and understanding and appealed for further co-operation as the issue receives attention.
The public is urged to adhere to the safety protocols in place and stay away from the area because it is extremely dangerous.
“The city will consider further safety precautions to protect lives because many pedestrians continue to use the closed road.”
The delay in repairing the road was attributed to a back-and-forth discussion between the metro and the CGS on who should take the responsibility between the municipality and the provincial Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).
The metro had referred the matter to the CGS for further investigation because it believed the sinkhole might have been caused by mining activities in the area. In such cases, the DMRE is responsible.
However, the CGS shipped the matter back to the metro, saying it is the city’s responsibility to do the repairs.
Also Read: Another sinkhole opens up in Comet
