Residents upset about metro work on Centurion sinkhole
“The barriers take up half of the road, it is right at a T-junction, and since there is no light at night to light up the area, the barriers cannot be seen by motorists.”
Residents from Lyttelton Manor, Centurion, are upset with the way the metro fixed a sinkhole in Saffier Road.
This came after resident Anton van der Bijl took legal steps against the Tshwane metro when they failed to repair a sinkhole on his property.
According to Van der Bijl, a municipal water pipe burst on July 12 around 22:00 on his lawn. It was reported to the metro’s water and sanitation department by various residents. The leak was repaired the following day, but shoddily.
Van der Bijl’s neighbours, Daniella Le Roux (39) and Marina Roos (68) were not impressed with the metro’s standard of work.
“It was left incomplete. There is an uncovered water pipe on the side still, and they have placed barriers around the hole,” Le Roux said.
“The barriers take up half of the road, it is right at a T-junction, and since there is no light at night to light up the area, the barriers cannot be seen by motorists.”
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According to Le Roux, “there had already been one accident”.
Roos said that the metro filled up the hole with rubbish.
“One could see the plastic and polystyrene and paper, and we even removed clothing items and shoes,” Roos said.
According to ward 57 councillor David Farquharson, the metro was still waiting for the budget to be finalised.
“There is a list of sinkholes in the area that needs to be repaired. We will be able to assist once the budget is finalised.”
Van der Bijl said he had no other option than to take legal steps against the metro as he feared that there would be further damage to his property and residence.
He said only after about eight to nine hours later the following day the water leak was repaired, but the damage was already done. A sinkhole formed and fell in, right in front of his property.
He said the metro should have known better to respond timeously, given the issues Centurion residents have with water and sinkholes in the area.
Due to the prevalence of sinkholes in the area, and the possibility that the cavity formed due to the burst municipal pipe, there is a concern, he said.
Since Van der Bijl could not enjoy or secure his property, he demanded that the metro fix or fill the cavity on or before the first of October to prevent further deterioration of the area.
Tshwane metro had not responded by the time of going to print.
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