Road collapse fears deepen
Illegal mining has taken a rapid turn in the area and the miners are now putting the lives of the public in danger.
Disaster looms as illegal mining activity in the vicinity of Main Reef Road near the Plastic City informal settlement and Weltevreden Landfill Site has reached new heights (or depths).
The ground alongside the road and surrounding area has long been a target for illegal miners, who a few months ago were brazen enough to hire an excavator to dig up the soil in their search for precious metals (Herald May 11, “Illegal miners keep on digging despite the danger”).
The land has been pockmarked by large holes for many years as a result of the digging, but these craters are now encroaching the road at a swift pace and with little to no action being taken by authorities, the miners have taken to tunnelling under the road.
The road has previously collapsed as a result of illegal mining and concerned residents fear history will repeat itself.
The holes also hide other dangerous risks such as exposed electricity cables.
“The current situation at Plastic City and the surrounding area is a shame,” said DA ward councillor for the area, Brandon Pretorius.
“It has become clear that the City of Ekurhuleni has no intention of enforcing by-laws in Brakpan.
“The illegal mining has recently taken a rapid turn in the area and the miners are now putting the lives of the public in danger.
“The mayor of Ekurhuleni, members of his mayoral committee, the Brakpan customer relations manager and EMPD have been well informed about the illegal activities as they visited the site and saw this with their own eyes earlier this year.
“Yet, nothing is being done about the illegal mining and on a daily basis the operations are expanding and threatening not only the city’s infrastructure but the lives of innocent people.”
According to Pretorius, the municipality has been aware of these activities since approximately 2008 as the illegal mining started before the Plastic City informal settlement was established.
“The matter has therefore been escalated to Michele Clarke, the DA spokesperson on community safety in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature,” he said.
“It is clear that the ANC as the governing party does not care about the enforcement of by-laws; the mayor should be ashamed.”
After the situation was brought to the Herald’s attention, comment was requested from council on October 19.
Council referred the matter to the EMPD, who failed to respond.
A second request for comment was submitted to the metro police on October 26, but this too has been ignored.
Some activity, however, was observed in the area on Tuesday and some of the trenches were being filled.
With officials keeping mum, it remains to be seen whether a more permanent solution will be found.
Follow us:
For more #hyperlocal news at your fingertips, visit Springs Advertiser, Boksburg Advertiser, Benoni City Times, African Reporter
