The Merafong City Local Municipality this week failed to provide answers about what it was doing to save the pipelines at the reservoir just outside Carletonville.

This reservoir, situated on the hill across the road from the 007 shopping complex, has been out of order since another sinkhole snapped the main pipeline to town in June 2015. Although the municipality has had a contractor on site to repair the reservoir, it has done nothing to fix another big sinkhole next to the pipeline that has been re-routed since the 2015 disaster.

By May 5, this contractor was not on site anymore, even though the sinkhole had grown bigger. The ground has completely caved in under one of the pillars on which the pipeline is resting, and it can collapse at any time. A section of the barrier fencing around the sinkhole has also caved in due to the sides that are collapsing.

Even worse, there is now another sinkhole threatening crucial infrastructure only metres away from this one.

The Herald reported in December 2023 that there was a leak next to the Rand Water pump station, which the bulk water supplier took more than a month to repair.

The new sinkhole, which caved in this week, is at the site where the water leaked before.

By Monday, the ground was caving in under the main pipeline next to this pump station. If this pipeline should be damaged, Carletonville will be without water.

The Herald took the issues to the municipality on Monday and asked them what was being done to keep the infrastructure safe, but received no response.