The Merafong City Local Municipality continues to ignore a sinkhole in Khutsong South that has been growing since last year.

A concerned resident, Mzwandile Kheswa, notified the Herald about the growing sinkhole near the road between Welverdiend and Khutsong in March 2025.

At that time, the hole was still more than a meter away from the fence that separated Khutsong South from a large stormwater canal. Since this time, the sinkhole had spread under the fence.

The donga that ends in the sinkhole is also causing a section of a gravel access road to Khutsong South to cave away.

“I worry a lot about this hole, especially at night. Everyone just comes here to check, then they just leave again,” says the resident whose house is closest to the sinkhole, Yvonne Morekudi.

She also complains that other people throw their rubbish into the sinkhole.

“They think it will close the hole, but it clearly does not help. Instead, it makes my yard and house stink,” says Morekudi.

She adds that people also sometimes throw dead dogs into the sinkhole.

“It is not nice staying here anymore. We have to worry about the sinkhole and about getting sick because of the rubbish and dead animals,” she laments.

Residents also pointed out that people looking into the sinkhole could previously see a black municipal water pipe inside it.

The ground has since collapsed onto this pipe, and it is not clear whether it has been crushed.

The Herald took the issue to the Merafong City Local Municipality’s marketing and communications manager, Temba Fezani, but received no response by printing time.