Residents of Umkumaas Street in Carletonville are losing patience as a dangerous sinkhole remains unrepaired four years after it first appeared.

The hole originally opened at a cul-de-sac in early 2022. It became a national talking point later that year when a municipal waste removal truck fell into it and had to be lifted out by a crane. Despite the high-profile accident, the Merafong City Local Municipality has yet to fix the site.

Residents have taken matters into their own hands, filling the hole with rubbish and attempting to flatten it manually. However, the site is now overgrown with tall grass and weeds, creating new problems for the neighbourhood.

According to a resident, he has repeatedly tried to get help from the municipality.

“Criminals hide behind the tall grass and weeds. I asked municipal workers to, at least, cut this but they said motorists will start driving here again if they do, and the sinkhole is still not safe.”

The Herald contacted the municipality’s marketing and communications manager, Temba Fezani, for a comment on Monday. At the time of going to press, no response had been received.