Water restored in parts of Lyttelton after sinkhole collapse
The metro has assessed the extent of the sinkhole affected area and the roadway has been temporarily closed off.
Water supply has been restored to parts of Lyttelton Manor after a sinkhole, caused by a water leak and a damaged pipeline, disrupted services over the weekend.
Spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo, confirmed that the metro was made aware of the sinkhole on Sunday night, July 20, when it formed on a residential property in Jade Avenue.
“The site has been assessed and confirmed as a sinkhole by our geologists. It is estimated to be 9m in diameter and 4m deep,” he said.
According to Mashigo, the collapse was primarily caused by a leaking water pipe. Further investigation revealed that the root system of a tree on the sidewalk had damaged the water pipe, resulting in the leak.
He said the city responded swiftly.
“We managed to divert the pipeline from the sinkhole and restore the water supply to the affected area,” said Mashigo.
He added that the immediate vicinity of the collapse has been cordoned off as a safety precaution.
“The extent of the sinkhole-affected area has been assessed, and the roadway has been temporarily closed off.”
This update comes after Freedom Front Plus PR councillor, Wesley Jacobs, confirmed the sinkhole on July 21.
At the time, Jacobs said the sinkhole was discovered at around 21:00 on Sunday by metro teams responding to a water leak on private property.
“The sinkhole was discovered while officials were attending to the leak. The ground gave in shortly after the leak was repaired.
“There were no visible signs that a sinkhole was forming. If there had been any, we would never have allowed city personnel to work on the site.”
Jacobs said visual inspections confirmed the sinkhole formed exactly where the leak had been reported, making this the 64th known sinkhole in Centurion.
Ward 57 councillor David Farquharson said the leak had initially been reported at 17:43, just hours before the collapse.
“The water was turned off due to the leak, and we were also investigating a concurrent power outage in the area,” he said.
He also added that the road infrastructure was being assessed for safety.
“If that section is found to be unsafe, it will be blocked off. Residents can use Saffier and Robyn Roads as alternatives.”
The latest sinkhole has again drawn attention to the area’s fragile infrastructure.
It follows a similar incident on May 8 at the corner of Langebrink Road and Burger Avenue, which led to major disruptions.
That collapse, caused by a broken water pipe, also damaged a mini substation, leaving many residents without electricity.
Jacobs at the time warned that Centurion’s increasing number of sinkholes was a serious concern.
“There are more than 60 sinkholes in Centurion, and this is an extreme emergency that continues to affect many residents,” he said.
The May collapse was the third in Lyttelton Manor in a few months, following two others in February on DF Malan Avenue and on the corner of Trichardt and Van Riebeeck streets.
Earlier this month, MMC for Corporate and Shared Services Kholofelo Morodi revealed that Tshwane had submitted a formal request in January to have the Clifton Avenue sinkhole declared a disaster by the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC).
“The submission came from the city’s emergency services department, followed by an urgent intervention letter sent on March 25 to several officials.”
She said these officials included the ministers of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and of Electricity and Energy, the Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure and CoGTA, and the CEO of Rand Water.
According to Morodi, the NDMC responded on January 30.
She said that after evaluating the city’s report, it concluded that while the sinkhole is severe, it does not meet the legal definition of a disaster under the Disaster Management Act and thus would not be classified as a national disaster.
“The city was advised to reprioritise its internal budget over a multi-year period to address the rehabilitation costs.”
Despite the rejection, Morodi confirmed that the city remains committed to securing the help it needs.
“We’re continuing to seek multi-stakeholder assistance to manage this crisis,” she added.
She mentioned that the provincial CoGTA is currently working with the national department to compile a report for the MEC, which could lead to the sinkholes being classified as a provincial disaster.
Morodi said the metro has not received any funding or support from the national government for sinkhole-related repairs.
To reduce risks in the most affected areas, she explained that many sinkholes are caused by leaking or wet services in older suburbs like Lyttelton Manor, Valhalla, and Laudium.
“These areas are underlain by ageing infrastructure. As a mitigating measure, the city’s regional and service departments can provide input to the response and repair of leaks and the upgrading of wet services to dolomite specifications.”
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