A RAPIDLY expanding sinkhole has again sparked fears of a total road collapse at the bottom of Glen Anil Street.

The sinkhole, which began forming more than a year ago, has steadily grown wider, swallowing up a street corner and now one of the lanes on the street.

There are concerns for the safety of motorists, businesses and residents as soil continually erodes underneath the sinkhole.

The eThekwini Municipality has put in concrete barricades around the hole and tied various cables to a concrete post, including fibre and electricity cables, which are suspended over the sinkhole.

Also read: Water issues plague uMhlanga

However, the soil underneath a stormwater drain, inside the sinkhole, is also at risk of collapse.

The sinkhole has now also impacted on traffic as cars and heavy duty vehicles are unable to turn and pass at the same time.

Brian Harris, whose business is on Glen Anil Street, just metres away from the sinkhole, said he has contacted the City several times over the situation but to no avail.

“My feeling is that it is only a matter of time before there is a fatality or a vehicle ends up in the sinkhole. In the peak hours and throughout the day it is impossible for two cars to drive abreast of each other. Last year you could just about get away with it but because nothing has been done the sinkhole has swallowed an entire section of the road. Heavy duty vehicles like trucks and buses cannot turn into Glen Anil Street from Sneezewood Lane if there is a car approaching, going the opposite direction.

“I’ve also noticed how the road vibrates as there is no soil to hold up the road. Right now, the fibre and electricity cables are being held up by a piece of string tied to a concrete post. If the sinkhole widens, it will impact both businesses and residents in the area. I have sent numerous requests to the Roads and Water Department. They have given me references but no action has been taken. My business is metres away from the sinkhole and everyday more soil erodes,” he said.

Also read: Anglers call Blue Lagoon fishing ban ‘unfair’

In its response to residents’ concerns the eThekwini Municipality says funds have been secured to complete the repairs.

They did not, however, explain why it has taken so long for repairs to be carried out.

“The project was referred to the City’s Coastal, Stormwater & Catchment Management Engineering Unit on February 3, 2025. Funding for the necessary repairs has been secured, and we are currently finalising the design and tender documentation,” explained eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson Gugu Sisilana. “We anticipate going out to tender by February 21, 2025, with a contractor expected to be on site as soon as our procurement processes are finalised. In the meantime, the Road and Stormwater Maintenance Department has taken measures to ensure the area is safe and will continue to monitor the barricades while the procurement process is finalised.”

For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook, X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here