The Merafong City Local Municipality has once again been declared a disaster area due to the growing threat of sinkholes. The decision, announced in the Government Gazette of August 4 by the Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance, is aimed at unlocking resources for safety measures and urgent infrastructure repairs.

According to Dr Elias Sithole, head of the National Disaster Management Centre, the declaration follows updated reports from the Council for Geoscience showing that sinkholes pose a severe risk to residents, property, infrastructure, and basic services in high-risk zones.

Merafong previously received disaster area status in 2017, which allowed for additional funding to address sinkhole damage.

Community group wants provincial control of funds

The Merafong Environmental Risks Community Support Group (MERCSG), which led the campaign for a new disaster declaration, has called on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to ensure that no disaster relief funds are allocated directly to the municipality.

According to the group’s secretary, Jerry Ramokgoatedi, the Housing Development Agency (HDA) should instead be appointed as project engineers for sinkhole rehabilitation and any related evacuations.

“The reason for this is that Merafong City is under investigation by both the Hawks and the Public Protector for mismanagement of public resources,” said Ramokgoatedi.

The MERCSG has further requested that the province establish a participatory task team involving multiple local sectors to draft a proper action plan. They also want government to make use of a previous sinkhole rehabilitation plan that was agreed to with former Human Settlements Minister Mamoloko Kubayi, who now serves as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.