WATCH: Woodmere sinkhole repair project nears completion, residents relieved
"As a former military engineer myself am absolute about the work done and confiden that this will last longer.
Anton de Montille has welcomed the work done by the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) in repairing the sinkhole that ran through his yard.
The pensioner has lived in the area for more than 20 years. For the past 10 years, he has been living in fear that one day his house would be swallowed by the sinkhole.
After years of complaints, the city has finally allocated a budget to tackle the Woodmere potholes.
The project, which began two months ago, is now close to completion, with three locations earmarked for the project.
ALSO READ: Germiston residents at risk as neglected sinkholes swallow roads
City commended for work
Ward 92 Clr Kade Guerreiro commended the work done by the city and welcomed the project. He detailed that two concrete pipes had been installed to help alleviate water pressure.
@bedfordview.edenv Ward 92 Councillor Kade Guerriero has provided an update on the ongoing Woodmere sinkhole repair project. Following years of community appeals, the City of Ekurhuleni has prioritised three properties for urgent repair, with a budget allocation of up to R2 million. #Ekurhuleni #Woodmere #SinkholeRepair #CommunityUpdate #LocalGovernment
“This means that the money allocated has been put to good use in delivering a long-lasting project,” said Guerreiro.
“We have been promised a bigger budget by the city. We need 16 properties repaired. I believe the three worst were prioritised first. The Woodmere issues have been going on for more than ten years. I am the third councillor to deal with this issue.
“The biggest concern has always been the safety of lives and properties, which has been prioritised. Another location getting repairs is Laurel Street.”
Resident praises contractor
De Montille, a resident of Coral Street, praised the work done by the contractor from day one. He explained the foundation work, adding that the team started from the neighbour’s bottom manhole, as the sinkhole also affected him, running through his driveway.
“They connected the pipes from there to my property using double concrete pipes,” said De Montille.
“When the work started, they carefully removed my wall instead of bulldozing it so they could rebuild it. Minor work remained at one of the main holes. As a former military engineer myself, I am confident that this will last for a long time.”
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De Montille highlighted that the workers were easy to work with, almost forming a partnership. “They made us comfortable and created pathways for daily use. They cleaned up and continued to work.
They had to dig down about three metres. The piping is done well, and they compacted everything. Before, when it rained, the water flooded everything.
“With how things are done now, we have to see how it turns out during heavy rains. However, with the minimal rain we have had, the water runs down the pavement to the existing points,” he said.
Background of the issue
In 2023, GCN reported that De Montille traced the issue of sinkholes back 14 years. Other affected roads include Hazel, Coral, and Laurel.
Since then, his driveway and garden have collapsed several times. His neighbour’s driveway also had patches due to the sinkholes, and De Montille said he had to use bricks to fill potholes forming in his yard.
ALSO READ: Report on early signs of sinkholes – CoE
At the time, the CoE responded to media enquiries, stating that it had begun investigating the causes of sinkholes around 2019.
The City attributed the damage to a complete collapse of the stormwater system, which required replacement. The collapse was caused by galvanised corrugated metal pipes that had corroded over time, causing the system to fail.
The city acknowledged the damage to De Montille’s driveway and noted that part of his house had become unstable.
“The stormwater system in question is always waterlogged, and there is a constant flow of water in the pipe. This caused further corrosion and erosion of the soil underneath the pipe,” said city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
De Montille shared the dangers the sinkholes had caused, highlighting that his son once fell into a deep hole when the lawn collapsed.
“My garden was full of patches, but the City has now rebuilt it and laid new grass. At one point, the driveway sinkhole formed again, and I couldn’t get my car out of the carport.
“The house was also affected, with minor cracks forming. The only thing I believe was keeping my house intact was the concrete slab I built years ago,” he said.
