A new sinkhole has formed at the entrance to Goudvlakte Plot 9 and neighbouring smallholdings next to the R500 between Carletonville and Magaliesburg, leaving residents in the area concerned about its potential impact.
The hole is about 8km from Carletonville on the left, not far from Red Cap Ranch.
According to a resident, Nardus Viljoen, he first saw the sinkhole on March 30.
“The hole has grown a lot since, and there is another sinkhole about 6m further. If the ground between the two collapses, it is going to be huge. I just hope that it does not spread to the main road.”
The sinkhole has been cordoned off by another farmer to ensure nearby cattle do not fall into it.
Residents of this area have been warning for years that water damming up at the entrances to some of the farm roads, such as this one, could cause sinkholes.
Although they do pay rates to the Merafong City Municipality, the municipality rarely scrapes the roads in this area.
The R500 was closed around 2014 when another sinkhole caved in within 10km of this new one. It was then repaired by the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport.
The Herald inquired about this issue with the department’s regional manager, Bulelwa Thomas, on Tuesday. No response was received.
